Guardian Angel
by bluestarberry
Summary: This is essentially a Rose&Dimitri story, but for something a little different, I thought I'd send the gang to Australia for a little fun in the Land Down Under. Rated M for language and content.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

Dear Readers, I've been working on this story for the past few weeks and have decided to take the plunge and share it with all of you. It's my first VA fanfic so please be kind. :) I'm from Australia, so I'm not overly familiar with the geography of America. As such, instead of trying to pretend to know (and potentially messing it all up later), I've decided to cart the gang over to Australia. That way, I'll be more certain of the accuracy of locations and other seemingly minute details (e.g. weather), which I'm aware can make or break a story. But for the first part, they will be in New York, so please forgive if I have messed up any of the details.

I hope you enjoy reading, and before we start, most of the characters in my story belong to Richelle Mead (you know the ones). I have invented a few of my own, you will recognize them as they pop up. Happy Reading. :)

~bluestarberry

**Chapter 1**

**Rose's Point of View**

'Welcome back!' Lissa threw her arms around me, knocking the air out of my chest. I let out a small grunt as I felt her body slam into mine, 'Oof! I've only been back for 2 minutes and you're already out to kill me,'

Her twinkling laugh resonated through the semi-empty airport. I had just returned from visiting my parents in Scotland for the Christmas period and had flown on the red eye flight back to New York. It was the only flight with seats still available, especially on such short notice during the busiest time of the year. Lissa had called me whilst I was away, insisting that I return before the New Year. She said it was an emergency, and wouldn't let anything else on. I didn't know what was so important that it couldn't wait a few more days. Besides, Mum, Dad and I were going to spend New Years in Spain. Whatever Lissa had planned for, it better be good – I was sure those hot Latino men wouldn't have any problems helping me temporarily forget Dimitri.

I knew I would miss Lissa terribly over the holidays but I had opted to spend the holidays with my parents instead. Lissa and Christian had planned a getaway to some remote mountain ski lodge and the idea of spending long nights seeing Lissa and Christian cozying up to each other in front of a fire whilst a snowstorm raged outside was not my idea of fun, especially because I knew I would get dragged into their lovemaking sessions. Lissa wasn't good at blocking me out when her emotions are raging. So partly because I needed a major break from the two lovebirds, and partly because I rarely get to see my two busy parents, I decided to pay them a rare visit.

It was my first Christmas with the two of them, and it was surprisingly nice. I touched down in Edinburgh on the 15th of December and was welcomed by a strong gust of the North Wind. I hadn't expected it to be that cold so Dad took me took me on a shopping spree the next day. The Christmas sales were on so I had an absolute ball buying clothes. It's great having a rich Dad, who is trying to make up for years of neglect. I think I went slightly overboard because Mum wasn't impressed with the number of shopping bags. We didn't stay in Edinburgh for long because Dad wanted to show me parts of Europe so we embarked on a whirlwind tour of London, Paris, and Rome.

For someone who hated history at school, I was amazed at how interested I was in soaking up all the history and culture of each city. It's true that history is best learned in vivo. I was so caught up with traveling that I almost forgot about Dimitri. Almost, being the functional word here. In Paris, I couldn't help but wish he was with me. I was in the renowned City of Love, surrounded by lovers, engulfed by flashing lights, and my heart couldn't help but yearn for Dimitri. How could I not? It was Paris after all. In Rome, I wished he was with me because I knew how much he would have enjoyed visiting the churches. I could almost hear him give me a lecture on European history as I strolled through the many cathedrals. In Edinburgh, I went on one of their famous ghost tours. I spent most of it trying to suppress a smirk as I felt sorry for the humans; it was probably a good thing they weren't aware of the Strigois. Strigois would make the ghost tour look like a walk in the park. Dimitri would have appreciated my jokes about it. In London, my thoughts wistfully drifted to him as I pub hopped with some new found friends. Dimitri would've called me reckless for going off with strangers, but would've joined me anyway. He would say that he's looking out for me, but secretly I knew that he reveled in the thrill of spontaneity.

'Welcome back, Punk,' Christian called out as he strode through the airport's sliding doors, with Eddie beside him. Eddie was dressed in the usual Guardian attire – black shirt, black slacks. His black sunglasses were propped up on top of his head and he wore his usual casual grin as he spotted me.

'Yeah nice to see you too, Firefly,' I shot back at Christian, knowing the nickname irked him. It was too girly, he once complained. I had smirked to myself in self-satisfaction – it was the exact effect I was going for. Lissa rolled her eyes in exasperation; I shrugged, she was going to have to get used to our bantering. Eddie gave me a tight hug as Lissa bossed Christian to carry my luggage to the car.

'So what's so important that I have to fly back immediately?' I asked as we strode out into the cold wintery night. I breathed in the cold air and smiled. As much as I enjoyed Europe, it was good to be home.

'Geez Rose, did you bring some rocks back or something?' Christian interrupted as he heaved my luggage into the car. Alberta easily lifted the other two and slammed the boot shut, giving Christian a bad scare. Christian made a face behind her back and I laughed out loud, 'someone needs to spend some time at the gym,'

'Someone needs to stop buying crap,'

'Well, someone's not getting his Christmas present if he keeps whining!'

'Guys, lay it off! It's only been half an hour since Rose arrived!' Lissa complained. That managed to shut Christian up; I smirked triumphantly at him.

'Anyway, what is so important that I couldn't visit Spain?' I redirected my attention to Lissa.

'I'm throwing a New Year's Eve party!' she said excitedly. I stared at her blankly for a minute. She made me give up some hot Spanish men for a party? Don't get me wrong, I loved parties, hell I was the life of every party, but if I had to choose, I would've chosen Spain.

'You made me give up some hot Spanish men for this?'

She looked hurt and I immediately felt guilty. 'I suppose they're always going to be there,' I added quickly, trying to make her feel better as we all piled into the car. Alberta drove and Eddie sat in front; whilst I squeezed in the back with Lissa and Christian. I could feel through our bond that Lissa was hiding something from me.

'Okay, spill it. It's not just a New Year's Eve party is it?' I crossed my hands in front of my chest. I knew she couldn't hold on to terribly exciting news for long because she was soon gushing excitedly, 'Christian and I are getting married!'

What?

'Shut your mouth, the flies may get in,' Christian joked. I must have stared agape at Lissa for minutes.

'Married?' I repeated stupidly. When did all of this happen?

Lissa nodded excitedly as she showed me her ring, 'He asked me to marry him on Christmas Day! So we decided we'd have a New Years Eve plus engagement party,'

'Wow!' I said, looking dazedly at her ring. It was beautiful and extravagant. Christian must have spent a lot on it, not that he had to worry about money; none of the Royal Morois ever worried about money. 'Congratulations,' I said soon after, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible for Lissa. She grinned at me happily, and joy and utter love was flowing through our bond. It wasn't that I wasn't happy for Lissa; I was more than happy for her but her engagement only made me more aware of how painfully alone I was.

'We're getting married in June,' Lissa continued, unable to contain her excitement. I didn't blame her.

'Have you got the rest of your wedding planned out or something?' I teased.

She giggled, 'No, but we know we're going for a pre-wedding trip to Australia!'

'What?' Of all the places… And what was a pre-wedding trip anyway?

'Australia; there will be plenty of tanned, hot surfer boys for you. I'm sure it'll make up for the Spanish men you're missing out on right now,' Lissa teased.

Christian hooted loudly and Eddie snorted as he tried to suppress a smile. I blushed furiously; I wasn't even thinking about the men. 'Whatever,' I said in annoyance, 'What is a pre-wedding trip? Why Australia anyway? Don't they have like kangaroos and crocodiles? Do you think fighting Strigoi is not a challenge enough for me now or something?'

'Christian and I have decided that instead of having a honeymoon, we'd go on a pre-wedding trip. It's really just so that we go when it's summer in Australia. That way, with extended daylight hours, there will be less Strigoi around to worry about. That way, we don't have to bring a whole heap of Guardians with us; besides, the more Guardians we bring, the more we need to convince to not report back to the Queen,'

My best friend was going to do something highly illegal. I couldn't believe it. What happened to Miss Goody Two Shoes? She had been hanging out with the boys too much. I knew that they were interested in practicing offensive magic and would occasionally meet up to discuss new techniques, but this was the most concrete plan I had ever seen them put into place. And it didn't sound good to me.

'And don't be silly,' Lissa chided, 'Kangaroos don't bite and there won't be any crocodiles where we're going,'

'Why Australia?'

'Well, you know how Adrian and I have been practicing Spirit…'

Adrian. 'Where the hell is he anyway?' I asked, noticing his absence for the first time.

'You'll get to see him soon,' Lissa said impatiently. Why didn't he come? I wanted to ask but decided to let Lissa continue with her story. 'Anyway, we've been trying to find someone who can teach us offensive magic and there aren't many people, who can, or rather, dare to,'

I looked at her questioningly. She wants to practice magic on her pre-wedding trip? It was still weird calling it a pre-wedding trip. I didn't know of anyone who did something like that. 'The current laws mean that anyone caught teaching offensive magic will be persecuted,' Lissa said what I had already known. Tatiana had made what was already a ridiculous law even more ridiculous over the past year in a bid to continue trying to highlight to the mostly self-absorbed Moroi population the difference between them and the Strigoi – i.e., Morois aren't as banal as the Strigoi to attack.

'So,' Lissa said dramatically, 'Adrian, Christian and I tried to look for a place we could go to so we could learn offensive magic and it appears that the laws in Australia are actually still quite relaxed. Offensive magic isn't taught in schools, but there's no law that prosecutes anyone who teaches or learns it,'

'Why are you so obsessed with learning offensive magic anyway?' I yawned sleepily; flying takes it out of me, 'You have us to look out for you,'

'I'm just trying to make your job easier for you,' Lissa said irritably, 'Besides, I want to be able to contribute,'

'Surely, it can't be good for you,' I wasn't quite sure about the whole Australia trip; surely she could have picked somewhere better, like Hawaii or something, 'Why would you practice offensive magic on your pre-wedding trip? Surely that can wait; aren't you guys meant to be loved up and all? You know, spend some quality time together?'

'Christian and I thought it would be a good excuse to get away from everything without raising too many suspicions,' Lissa explained. Gee, she was keen.

'So you're going to have Adrian with you on this pre-wedding trip thing?' I stressed. I couldn't think of any less romantic.

Lissa chuckled, 'Not only is Adrian coming with us, the whole gang is; and that includes you,'

'Doesn't sound very romantic to me,' I mumbled. Lissa heard me.

'Don't rain on my parade, Rose,' Lissa sulked, 'Besides, Christian and I will make sure that we spend a good amount of time together; you don't have to worry about that,'

Christian pulled her in for a kiss and I instinctively looked away. I wasn't worried about them not spending enough time together. I was more worried about how I would cope having to be around the lovebirds all the time. There was another reason for my reluctance to leave. Dimitri. Sure, he's all loved up with Tasha, and probably going to become a father any day now, but secretly, I still lived for the days when he and Tasha visited us in New York. Okay, so they've only visited us once in New York since Graduation but that's beside the point. Since graduating from St. Vlad's, Lissa had wanted to learn more about politics and decided to head to New York, convinced that was where she would learn the most. Naturally, as her assigned Guardian, I followed her and so did Christian. I didn't complain; I needed a distraction after Dimitri decided to drop the bombshell on me.

'But what happened to studying?' I asked, grasping for a reason to stay.

'We've been in New York for over a year, Rose. I haven't learned anything about Moroi politics. It's great in terms of learning about human politics, but not Moroi. I should have stayed at Court,' Lissa said dejectedly. I patted her back encouragingly. I knew she felt bad for dragging us across the country to pursue her dream. We all shared an apartment and though I had never heard Christian and her fight, I knew that cracks were starting to form in their relationship. Christian always thought Court would be the best place for Lissa if she wanted to get into politics; but Lissa couldn't stand the bitching and the competition between the Moroi girls. So now, instead of dragging us across the country, she was going to drag us halfway across the world. _Great_, I thought.

'It was my idea to go to Australia,' Christian confessed, 'Lissa, Adrian and I have had a long chat about this. We know that it's a lot to ask from you guys to come with us; we know that it's a massive move and it'll be hard for all of us; but at the same time, we think that this is a rare opportunity for us to really up our battle skills,'

'What about going back to Court to learn politics?' I persisted.

'I can always learn politics anytime. Christian's right. This is a rare opportunity for us,' Lissa explained. But what about me, I wanted to ask but decided to keep my mouth shut.

'How long are we going there for?' I asked quietly. I could already feel my heart start to sink.

'3 months,' Lissa replied and I nearly choked. 3 months was a long time. 'It's a long time, I know,' Lissa echoed my thoughts, 'and if you really don't want to come, I can always request for a replacement for the 3 months,' she must have sensed my reluctance.

'Of course not,' I said, trying to inject as much enthusiasm into my voice as possible, 'I go wherever you go, remember? And if that's what you want, then… I'm sure it'll be fun for me too,' I tried to take comfort in the fact that there would be a lot of hot Australian men for me to feast my eyes upon.

She grinned happily at me and gave me a big hug as Alberta pulled into the secure car park spot of our apartment. Alberta, Eddie and I hauled my luggage into the lift whilst Christian and Lissa decided to take the other lift – I had a lot of luggage.

'Ah home!' I exclaimed as I flicked on the lights. I rushed to my beanbag and promptly plopped myself on it. I smiled contentedly as I sank into it. Eddie chuckled as he chucked some nachos into the microwave.

'You're a God send, Eddie! I'm starving,' I cried, jumping out of my bean bag as Christian and Lissa strolled in. I felt Lissa's nerves through our bond and knew something else was up. I decided that I'd wait until morning before asking her; I was dead tired and hungry. The microwave beeped and I gave a small cheer. Eddie brought the plate over to the dining table and I promptly stuffed my face with nachos. Lissa only picked at it. I wasn't too concerned; Morois didn't need much food anyway.

'Okay, I'm off to bed! See you in the morning!' I announced after Eddie and I devoured the nachos. It wasn't the healthiest of meals, but it sure tasted good.

'Uh, Rose,' Lissa started testily, 'I have something to tell you,'

'Can it wait? I'm dead tired,' I said, yawning loudly. I planned on visiting Adrian, but it would have to wait until morning. Lissa, Christian and I shared an apartment; whilst Adrian lived next door to us with his two Guardians – Peter and David – and Eddie. Mia and Ayeshah, Lissa's Moroi friends, lived together a floor below us; and Alberta, Katie and Tanya lived next door to them. Katie and Tanya were Mia and Ayeshah's Guardians respectively. Mia had insisted on not having a Guardian, but because she came to New York with us, Tatiana insisted that she have a Guardian.

'Well… Your room is kinda occupied,' Lissa said nervously.

I snapped out of my sleepy haze quickly, 'What do you mean by, 'kinda occupied'?'

'Well… Tasha and Dimitri are here for the engagement…'

I felt my heart stop.

'And they're staying in your room,'

I looked at Lissa in disbelief. Seriously, couldn't they have stayed in a hotel or something? Where the hell was I meant to sleep? Does she mean they're in there sleeping now? _That's my bed they're in_, I thought angrily. A part of me was thrilled at the idea of having Dimitri in my bed. Alas, he wasn't in it with me!

'So where the hell am I going to sleep?' I demanded. Eddie cleverly excused himself to do the dishes.

'You can sleep in our room?' Lissa said sheepishly.

'It was my fault; it was a last minute invitation and all the hotels were booked out,' Lissa added quickly, 'you know, because it's New Years and all,'

I let out a yell of frustration. Welcome home, indeed! Could this night get any worse?

**Dimitri's Point of View**

'Pack your bags, Dimka,' Tasha sang as she sauntered into the living room. I was flicking through the TV channels, trying to look for something interesting to watch. I looked up at her quizzically. She looked like she was in a good mood.

'We're going to New York!' she announced happily. New York? I felt my stomach sink. It could only mean one thing. We're going to visit her nephew, Christian Ozera. And visiting Christian meant visiting Lissa. And visiting Lissa meant visiting Rose. Ah, Rose. The cause of all my sleepless nights.

'Aren't you going to ask why?' Tasha interrupted my thoughts. I smiled patiently at her, knowing that she would tell me soon enough.

'Christian just asked Lissa to marry him!' she bubbled enthusiastically and I couldn't help but be shocked by this latest piece of news. But he's just a boy! I wanted to say, but decided to keep it to myself. It must be lovely to be young and in love. _It must be lovelier to be with the one you love_, I thought bitterly.

'Wow, congratulations!' I tried to inject as much enthusiasm into my response as possible. It was clear that Tasha was more than excited about the impending nuptials of her nephew. To me, it only meant that I was bound to see Rose more often and the thought was as thrilling as it was horrifying.

I remember the day I left her. It was her Graduation and she had beamed happily at me as she received her Promise Mark and was assigned to her best friend, Princess Vasilissa Dragomir. She had never looked so radiant and my heart overflowed with pride and love for her. Naturally, she was the best in her class. She liked to attribute her success to the extra training she undertook with me; but she was born to be a Guardian. I couldn't think of anyone who deserved the Promise Mark more than she did. I knew that she and her friends had planned to attend a party that night and she had more than once hinted that she would love for me to be her date. And there was nothing that I would've wanted more. I would've loved to hold her in my arms, twirl her around her dance floor and for once, kiss her in front of everyone.

Instead, I decided to follow my head instead of my heart. Guardians never fell in love. It was an unspoken code. What was the point of falling in love when it wouldn't amount to anything but rejection by society at large and possibly bureaucratic retribution? She was young, her career had just started, and she was full of hope and optimism. If I let myself love her, she will face ridicule and may potentially lose her position as Lissa's official Guardian. I couldn't take it all away from her just because of something as selfish as love. So I did what I thought would be the best for her. I left her.

Until this day, I could see the hurt, confusion, anger and betrayal in Rose's eyes when I broke the news to her. She had demanded to know why I had been stringing her along all this time, only to leave her when she was finally 18, finally a Guardian. I tried to tell her that it was because she didn't need me anymore, that she was good enough to stand on her own, that I had trained the best Guardian there ever would be in a long time. She saw through my guise and called my bluff. She knew, she always knew. So, with the heaviest of hearts, I told her that she was just an infatuation, some girl who caught my eye whilst I was at the Academy. I told her that I was lonely, that I needed someone to distract me. And that, that was all she was. I told her I never loved her. It was by far the hardest thing I had ever had to do, but it had to be done.

I could almost see her heart break as I said those cruel, unforgiving words. I was certain she was going to call my bluff again. I tried to sound as convincing as possible, I had to. I had to convince her that she was better off without me. Her lip had wavered slightly as she struggled for control. As soon as I said those words, I wanted to take them back. I wanted to hold her tight and beg her for forgiveness. I wanted to tell her how much she really meant to me, how much I loved her, how I couldn't see a future without her. Instead, I wore my sternest expression as I willed myself not to cave. For a second, I thought she was going to cry but thankfully she didn't. I didn't think I would be able to continue my facade for much longer if she did.

'And you were just an older guy, plenty of them out there,' she spat at me before turning on her heels to leave. _That's my girl_, I had thought to myself. She was always a fighter. I knew her bravado was to prevent people from getting to her. I knew underneath it all was a vulnerability that only a privileged few were allowed to catch a glimpse of. Her words had stung, but I was more worried about her. I wanted to reach out to comfort her, but knew that it wasn't my place to anymore. So, I convinced myself that she would be fine, that she was strong enough. It was the only way I could ease any of the guilt and regret I felt.

'So why are we going to New York?' I brought my attention back to Tasha who was, by now surfing the internet for engagement gifts. Christian's engagement was exciting news, but it still didn't explain why we're visiting New York. The Christmas-New Year period was the worst time to visit. I was sure there wouldn't be any hotels available.

'For their engagement party of course!' she said incredulously, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Her eyes never left her laptop screen.

'But it's New Year's Eve soon, how are we going to find any accommodation?' I tried not to sound desperate. I wasn't sure if I was ready to see Rose again. Tasha and I had visited New York shortly after Graduation and Rose made herself rather scarce at that time but the few glimpses I caught of her seriously tested my willpower to stand by my decision. It was as if she had grown more captivating in the few weeks after Graduation. I didn't trust myself to think about how much more beautiful she had grown over the past year.

'Oh don't worry Dimka; you're such a worry wart. Lissa's offered us to stay in Rose's room. Apparently, she's away for the holidays with her parents,'

Rose's room? I felt a lump rise up behind my throat and I felt the increasing need to talk a cold shower. I took comfort in knowing that Rose wouldn't be there, but Rose's room. It would smell of her. That intoxicating combination of soap, shampoo and moisturizer that she always wore. I prayed that I wouldn't be caught out.

I became Tasha's Guardian after I resigned as Lissa's. Tasha always made her feelings clear to me and initially, I thought it would be a good idea to try and make things work with her. Not long after, it was evident to both of us that my heart just wasn't in it. Amicably, we decided to stop being involved romantically and remain friends. The thing I loved about Tasha was that she was such a compassionate and understanding person and I was guilt-ridden for weeks after we 'broke up'. Amazingly, she read me like a book and immediately demanded that I stop feeling guilty. I never told her about Rose as I didn't think it was necessary. She had tried to set me up with a few of her friends before, but I always told her that I was too busy worrying about guarding her to be involved with anyone. In truth, my heart already belonged to someone else. I had just chosen to let her go. I often oscillated between praising myself for being unselfish and cursing myself for being a total idiot. I think total idiot is currently winning the tally.

--

'Congratulations!' Tasha squealed as Lissa opened the door to the apartment she shared with Christian and Rose. Lissa was glowing with excitement. It must be pretty exciting for her to get engaged. Lissa showed us to Rose's room and I hauled both Tasha and my luggage in. We were only staying for a week, but Tasha seemed to have brought her entire wardrobe with her. She insisted that she needed all those clothes.

I quietly surveyed Rose's room whilst Lissa and Tasha chatted excitedly about the party. Tasha was gushing over the ring that Christian had bought Lissa. I was sure it was beautiful but I couldn't bring myself to be as fascinated with it as Tasha was. I was more interested in Rose's room. A part of me felt like a creep, like I was intruding on an extremely intimate part of Rose's life that I had no right to be in. But a part of me couldn't help but feel thrilled at the prospect of being granted the privilege of staying in her room. I was right. Her room smelt exactly like her and it made me go weak at the knees.

Her room was neat and practical. It wasn't what I imagined a girl's room to be like. I had expected a room full of teddy bears and pink paraphernalia; instead, neutral tones of brown, white and black dominated most of the place. Her Queen sized bed sat in the middle of the room and I felt myself start to entertain thoughts of Rose in bed. Quickly, I distracted myself with photos that she had pasted beside her full length mirror. They were photos of herself with her friends. I spent a while gazing at them; she had grown more beautiful than I had thought possible. Most of the photos were of her partying. A particular one that I liked was one that caught her in mid-laughter. She had laughter in her eyes. I smiled wistfully to myself, she was so beautiful.

Then I saw a photo that made my insides turn cold. It was a self-taken image, with Adrian Ivashkov kissing Rose's cheek and Rose was grinning into the camera. I felt a sudden need to rip the photo off the wall and tear it up. There were other similar photos of Rose with her arms around Adrian but that was the only one of the two of them in an intimate pose. The green eyed monster within me reared its ugly head. I hadn't seen it in a while. _You left her remember?_ I tried to rationalize with myself; _she's free to date whoever she wants_. But no matter what I tried to tell myself, I couldn't help but feel a familiar animosity towards Adrian. I raked my hands through my hair in frustration as I tried to calm myself down.

'What are you still doing in here?' Tasha opened the door to Rose's room suddenly, cutting through my thoughts, causing me to jump. I felt myself blush, as if I had been caught doing something illegal.

'Oh I uh… Was just having a look,' I gestured lamely at the photos. Thankfully, she didn't notice my awkwardness. She came over to have a look and gushed over how much Rose has grown and how beautiful she was, as if I needed reminding. Lissa came over to explain each photo to Tasha, and I excused myself. I was lost in my own thoughts about Rose. It was as if her presence permeated the apartment, despite her absence. There was no escaping my demons, I realized, I might as well get used to being in a living hell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Again I hope you enjoy reading, and most of the characters in my story belong to Richelle Mead (you know the ones). Happy Reading. :)**

**~bluestarberry**

**Rose's Point of View**

I decided to sleep on the couch that night – it was a far better option than sleeping in Lissa and Christian's room. Thankfully, Tasha and Dimitri were out when I went into my room to grab some pillows and a spare blanket. His aftershave permeated my room and I lost myself in it for a second, daring myself to daydream about him. Tasha and Dimitri last visited us about a year ago but I could still envision his face clearly, as if I only saw him yesterday. I tried to tell myself to snap out of it but no matter how many mental slaps I give myself, my stupid heart seemed to have already made up its mind. Maybe this Australia trip isn't so bad after all, I thought to myself as I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible on the couch. I had given specific instructions to Lissa and Christian to not wake me; the repercussions of waking me weren't going to be very pretty.

I found myself drifting into a familiar dream that involved me, Dimitri and not a lot of clothes. Then it would quickly evolve into Dimitri pulling away from my kisses, and telling me stonily that I should learn self-control, that I would never be a good Guardian at the rate I was going, and that he didn't love me, that I was just an easy conquest for him, that he was lonely at the Academy and wanted a distraction. Tasha would then appear and laugh that flirty, tinkling laugh of hers and Dimitri would leave with her… It was the same dream I had every night since Dimitri left me for Tasha. I had learned to expect it and whilst the dream doesn't affect me as much as it used to, I would still wake up, gasping for breath. Tonight was no different.

I wiped the hair off my forehead as I tried to calm my racing heart; I had broken out in cold sweat again and my t-shirt was drenched. I groaned in disgust as I pulled my t-shirt off. Central heating meant that I usually slept in a singlet and boxer shorts, but Lissa had insisted that I put on more clothes because Tasha and Dimitri were coming back later that night. I was going to snap at her and tell her what I thought about it – that this wouldn't be happening if I had my room, but decided to let it go. The New Year was fast approaching; maybe anger management can be one of my resolutions.

I was only in my bra and boxer shorts when I slid back into the couch and under the covers. I draped my t-shirt over the top of the couch as I tried to go back to sleep. Lissa would just have to deal with my semi-naked state. I fidgeted for over 5 minutes on the couch before deciding that it was too uncomfortable to sleep on. I cursed Tasha under my breath for not only taking Dimitri, but also my room. I kicked the blankets off me in frustration when I noticed a dark figure lurking in a corner of the kitchen.

My Guardian instincts kicked into full gear as I braced myself for a fight. I reached under my pillow for my silver stake as my heart raced inside of me. My eyes quickly adjusted to make out a familiar lean, muscular back. Dimitri, my heart squeezed in recognition as it started to thump harder than it did before. He didn't have a t-shirt on and the few rays of sunlight that dodged the heavily draped windows only served to highlight the ripples of lean muscle along his arms, shoulders and back. I felt my breath catch at the back of my throat – he looked even better than the last time I saw him. I didn't even think it was possible. He had cut his hair; it was no longer long enough to be in a ponytail, but looked luscious enough to run my hands through it. _Stop it!_ I mentally snapped at myself as I ogled at him. He downed his water as silently as possible before placing it silently in the sink. He turned around and our eyes met across the room. I was paralyzed as I saw his brown eyes fill with recognition. I wanted to lose myself in them; I could easily drown in them. For a second, I thought I detected a hint of longing in him but he quickly turned away and said, 'You're um…'

I looked down at myself. I was barely clad in my bra and underwear; my blankets had been kicked off and were lying on the ground. I felt myself blush furiously as I quickly reached out for the blankets. I was thankful for the thick curtains; hopefully it was dark enough for him not to notice my embarrassment. Holding them protectively against myself, I mumbled an apology.

'No, I'm sorry,' he offered gallantly. His smooth voice washed over me like silk. 'I must have woken you up,'

'Oh I uh… Just… I had a bad dream,' I said lamely. It was as if I had lost the ability to speak around him.

'Are you okay?'

My heart thumped at this expression of concern. I was so pathetic. _Get over yourself, Hathaway_. 'Yeah,' I said, still clutching my blankets to my body with a death grip, 'Yeah, it was just a dream,'

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair, making me long to touch him even more. 'Well… I uh… Better get to bed,' he said awkwardly. I nodded my agreement. I sat on the couch as I watched his receding back. He paused when he got to the entrance of my room and turned around. 'By the way…' he said into the darkness, 'Welcome back and uh… Sorry about your room,'

'Yeah, don't worry about it,' I mumbled. He looked like he was going to say something else but decided against it.

'Well… Sleep well,' he said awkwardly before closing my bedroom door. I smiled sadly to myself – it never used to be awkward between us.

**Dimitri's Point of View**

Tasha decided that she wanted to catch a Broadway play that night so I accompanied her to the theater. After that, Tasha insisted on visiting some of the bars around and we got something to eat before heading home. The good thing about being in a city was that food was always available, no matter how ungodly the hour was. We reached the apartment in the early hours of the morning to catch Christian and Lissa tip-toeing around the apartment.

'What's going on?' I asked aloud, only to be shushed by the both of them. Lissa explained that Rose managed to get on a last minute flight back to attend the party and that Rose was currently asleep on the couch. We were given specific instructions not to rouse her, or there would be hell to pay. I had stopped dead in my tracks when I heard that Rose was back. My mouth ran dry as I imagined her sleeping form and I felt the need for another cold shower before I went to bed.

Tasha and I often shared a room when a separate room wasn't possible. I had packed a sleeping bag as I knew that there wouldn't be a spare mattress available. 'Good night Dimitri!' Tasha called out and I responded in kind.

I tried to make myself comfortable on the hard floor but to no avail. Sleeping on the floor, in a sleeping bag, is not the most comfortable of sleeps. Sleeping on the floor, in a sleeping bag, in the room of the girl of your dreams, whilst she is sleeping on the couch less than **1**0 meters away, was a recipe for a sleepless night. I tossed and turned uncomfortably in my sleeping bag, hoping I wouldn't wake Tasha. I could smell Rose on the pillow that Tasha gave me and I buried my face in it, losing myself in the memories of her. I remembered her soft kisses, how they broke me; the silky feel of her hair, how they captivated me; her warm embraces, how they completed me. I was filled with regret for letting her go, but it was too late now. It looked like she had moved on and whilst I wished it was anyone but Ivashkov, I had no right to interfere.

After an hour of attempting to sleep, but failing miserably to, I decided to get myself a drink. I sneaked quietly into the kitchen, just barely making out the dark sleeping figure of Rose on the couch. Her hair was covering her face so I couldn't make out her features. I pushed the disappointment away, dismissing it as stupid. As I poured myself a glass of cold water, I heard a gasp behind me and I knew that it was Rose. I quickly downed my glass of water and turned around.

Our eyes met across the room and I felt myself losing in them once again. It has been more than a year since I left her, and she still managed to have this hold over me. It was terrifying to know that a young girl like her could have so much control over me, could make me lose all my senses. My eyes gradually took in her semi-naked form. She had taken off her t-shirt and her blankets were on the floor. She was wearing a bra and boxer shorts and by some divine intervention, and it must have been divine intervention for I could not think of any other reason, I didn't claim her for my own. My testosterone levels shot through the roof and I was thankful for the darkness that shrouded the apartment. I would have embarrassed myself otherwise. I hoped Christian and Lissa didn't mind me taking multiple showers a day. I had a feeling that I would need them, especially if this was how Rose usually dressed to sleep. I quickly realized that she was staring back at me, so I looked away, embarrassed to be ogling at her.

'You're um…' I stammered. Beautiful, I wanted to say. Amazing. Goddess-like. Perfect. Everything I want. Everything I need.

She must have realized that she was rather exposed as she quickly grabbed the blankets and held them to herself. I blushed furiously as I thought about her semi-naked body and chided myself harshly for it. She mumbled an apology, which I quickly rebutted. There was no need for her to apologize.

'No I'm sorry,' I said, 'I must have woken you up,'

'Oh I uh… Just… I had a bad dream,' she said and concern washed over me. I needed to know if she was okay. I knew that she occasionally had bad dreams that affected her, especially after the death of her friend Mason at Spokane. I wanted to comfort her, to hold her and tell her that it would all be okay. That I was here.

But instead, I said, 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah,' she said certainly, 'Yeah, it was just a dream,'

She had grown up. She didn't need me anymore. She could look after herself, I told myself over and over again. I felt the familiar sense of loss and disappointment, but tried to be happy for her, to be proud. I ran a hand through my hair nervously. I had better get back to bed, so I said awkwardly, 'Well… I uh… Better get back to bed,'

She nodded and I headed back towards her room. I felt terrible about sleeping in her room whilst she slept on the couch. I should be on the couch instead of encroaching on her territory. I decided that I would have a word to Tasha tomorrow about it. I paused as I got to the entrance of her room, remembering that she had just gotten back from her holiday and I hadn't welcomed her back yet. 'By the way…' I said, turning into the darkness, unsure if she was still listening, 'Welcome back and uh… Sorry about your room,'

'Yeah, don't worry about it,' was her reply. I felt like saying something more to her. _But what Dimitri?_ I thought to myself, _that you love her? That you regret it every day? And what difference is that going to make? Do you think that she'll love you after you broke her heart?_ So I decided against it.

'Well… sleep well,' I said awkwardly before closing the bedroom door. I smiled sadly to myself as I lay in the sleeping bag, listening to the distant sound of cars beneath the apartment as the city starting to wake. It never used to be awkward between us.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: To those who reviewed, thank you. I really appreciated them. To those who didn't, I hope you enjoyed reading nonetheless.  
**

**I originally wrote this story purely in Rose's Point of View because I was unsure about delving into Dimitri's head. I've been experimenting a little with DPoVs, but am still a little hesitant about it. I didn't attempt a DPoV for this chapter, so to make up for it, I made this chapter extra long. I might attempt a DPoV if there are any requests for it, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy the RPoV.**

**I just re-read the last two chapters and picked out a few grammatical errors, which really annoyed me. I've proof-read this chapter a number of times, and whilst all attempts have been made to correct any spelling/grammatical errors, I'm sure they will pop up. For that, I am sorry and I hope it doesn't ruin the story for you.**

**The usual disclaimers apply.**

**Rose's Point of View**

I woke up before anyone else did; it's not hard to when you're sleeping on a couch. I longed for the comfortable hotel beds I had gradually been getting used to. No, scratch that. I wanted my bed. I pulled my now dried t-shirt over myself and peeled myself off the couch. Oh my back hurt.

I wasn't able to go into my room to get some clean clothes so I flipped open one of my suitcases and dug out a clean pair of jeans, some clean underwear and a form fitting t-shirt. I was lucky there was a clean towel in my bathroom – I wasn't about to barge in on Dimitri and Tasha's sleeping form. The thought of Tasha curled up against Dimitri was enough to make me want to pummel some boxing bags. I cursed Tasha under my breath. It wasn't like she couldn't afford a room. Yeah okay they're all booked out. That was beside the point. I'm sure if she threw enough money at them, she would find a room.

The feel of running water down my back eased my frustration as I soaped my hair up and brushed my teeth. Dimitri's toiletries were placed neatly in a corner next to Tasha's. _How cute_, I thought dejectedly to myself as I battled the urge to flush Tasha's toothbrush down the toilet.

I was starting to concoct up ways of getting rid of them when I heard the doorbell ring. _Lissa will get it_, I thought to myself but it rang again. Whoever was at the door was damn persistent.

When it rang a third time, I pulled the shower curtains angrily aside and wrapped a towel around myself. Can't a girl get some peace around here?

I marched towards the front door and yanked it open. It was Adrian.

'Well, good morning! I can get used to seeing this every morning,' Adrian exclaimed as he drank me in. I scowled at him and he immediately wiped the grin off his face.

'What do you want?' I snapped angrily.

'To see you,' his grin returning quickly, 'and it seems like I've gotten more than what I bargained for!'

'Oh shut up,' I stepped aside to let him in, 'now if you don't mind, I'm going to finish showering,'

'Can I join you?' he growled at me and I gave him a playful shove. I was annoyed that he had interrupted my shower but his cheeky innuendos nevertheless managed to put a smile on my face.

I was laughing as I turned around to head back towards the bathroom but my laughter quickly subsided when I saw Dimitri standing just outside my bedroom. I swore I felt the colour drain from my face. Why am I always semi-naked around him? And not semi-naked in the way I imagined myself to be either. He must think I'm some kind of promiscuous tart.

'Oh uh… Hi…,' I said awkwardly. His face was stone cold. It was the same Guardian expression I had learned to recognize years ago – hard, stoic and unreadable. He nodded at me silently; I saw his eyes flicker down to my body for a second and I felt myself heat up.

'I uh… Just went to get the door… I… Better finish showering,' I stuttered, gesturing awkwardly to the bathroom door. His eyebrows pulled together into a frown. He must have been annoyed at being woken up.

'Morning Belikov,' Adrian drawled as he walked up behind me, 'Didn't know that you were visiting,' He draped an arm around my shoulders as he played with my wet hair. The animosity Adrian felt towards Dimitri was evident. I was no Spirit user but I could almost see Adrian's hostility surround him in waves. I inched myself out of his grasp, but in a move I didn't anticipate, Adrian pulled me towards him and dropped a kiss on my lips. It was quick and brief; almost teasing in a way. I nearly shoved him away but decided against it, considering I would probably slip on the tiny puddles that were slowly gathering underneath me. It would have been just my luck.

I saw Dimitri's frown deepen as I quickly excused myself to the bathroom. Adrian chuckled loudly as I swore to kill him. I quickly scrubbed myself clean and after toweling myself dry, pulled my clothes on. Adrian was sitting in front of the television when I got out of the bathroom. Lissa and Christian were up too and the delicious smell of fried eggs wafted around the apartment.

'Welcome home, Little Dhampir,' Adrian announced as I sat myself beside him on the couch. He was watching the news. Boring.

'I swear Adrian, if you ever do that again, I will not only kill you, I will leave your body out for the pigeons of New York to feed off!' I growled menacingly at him. He looked amused. I think he's the only one who didn't take my threats seriously.

'What has he done this time?' Christian said, as he helped Lissa lay the breakfast table, 'besides, don't you think it's a little early for murder?

'It's never too early for murder,' I said, scowling at Adrian and ignoring the rest of Christian's question. I crossed my arms in front of me and sulked in front of the TV, not really registering what the newsreader was announcing.

'But you should have seen his face,' Adrian leaned in to whisper in my ear. I snapped my head around to face him.

'What are you talking about?'

'Oh I think you know what I'm talking about,' Adrian whispered, winking at me.

I was about to ask him to elaborate when Tasha's voice rang out behind us, 'Oh, welcome home, Rose!'

I tried to smile at her; I think it came out more as a grimace because Adrian snorted beside me. 'Thanks,' I mumbled, avoiding her gaze. She was wearing a pink camisole that fitted her perfectly. She was much older than us, but she still managed to keep herself slim. It must be the Moroi genes. I couldn't believe Lissa made me put on more clothes, when this bitch was sleeping in a flimsy top, in my room, in my bed! Dimitri soon emerged beside her, he had put on an old gray t-shirt and his hair was disheveled. I felt my heart lurch forward as I took in how effortlessly sexy he looked.

'Okay, breakfast is served!' Lissa announced, interrupting the awkward moment between Tasha and I. I quickly scooted into my seat beside Lissa.

'Extra eggs for Rose and Dimitri,' Lissa sang. Rose and Dimitri. It had a nice ring to it. I mentally slapped myself for the prohibited thought and concentrated on my eggs instead. Knowing how much food I needed, Lissa always made me extra eggs. Like every other breakfast, she had done them exactly the way I liked them – sunny side up on semi-burnt toast. Yum.

'So what's happening for New Years?' I asked Lissa who was still going around serving up eggs for everyone. She would be the perfect housewife. New Years Eve was in two days and if Lissa was planning a party, we'd better be shopping for dresses today.

'It's going to be a masquerade ball and we've invited all the Morois in New York,' Lissa announced proudly. I blinked at her, 'When did this happen?'

'Whilst you were out kissing sexy French men!' Lissa teased.

'You were what?' Adrian cried out in mock horror, 'French men? Oh you break my heart Rose!'

'Yeah I'll break your nose if you don't shut up soon,' I threatened, 'and I didn't kiss anyone!' Seriously, Lissa liked to exaggerate way too much. I only told her on one of our many phone calls that there were a lot of sexy French men in Paris and that I loved their accent.

Tasha let out a small giggle, 'You were on holiday Rose; you're allowed to have the occasional stolen kiss,'

Who was she? My mum? I didn't need her to tell me what I could and couldn't do. I stabbed a piece of my toast sulkily. 'She's just moody because she didn't get to go to Spain and so missed out on a potential rendezvous,' Lissa whispered jokingly to Tasha. Was Lissa ever going to quit bugging me about Spanish men?

'I'm sure I'm better than any Spanish rendezvous,' Adrian offered, his eyes laughing at me.

I rolled my eyes at him and bit into my toast aggressively. 'See that?' I snapped, 'That will be you,'

'You can eat me any day,' he retorted and I nearly gagged. Thankfully, Christian came to my rescue, 'come on Adrian! It's a bit early for fantasies!'

Tasha laughed. 'Young love, isn't it wonderful?' she said, turning to Dimitri. He was staring intently at his plate like there was gold in it. 'Dimitri?' Tasha repeated, touching his arm tenderly. I wanted to snap her neck in half. _Anger management Rose, remember?_ I reminded myself and resorted to clenching and unclenching my fists instead.

'W-what?' he stammered, 'Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night… You were saying?'

I didn't want to think about why he didn't get much sleep last night; I was sure it had something to do with Tasha and entertaining that thought would dangerously test my self control.

Tasha smiled radiantly at him, 'I was just saying how wonderful it is when young people are in love; like Adrian and Rose. Don't you think?'

I opened my mouth to protest heavily when Adrian reached out and squeezed my hand tightly underneath the table. I was about to punch him when I saw the look on his face. He was looking pointedly at me, as if trying to let me in on a secret so I decided to let it go and made a mental note to ask him about it later. He was acting rather strange today.

'Of course,' Dimitri grunted his reply to Tasha and started slicing his toast like it had offended him in some way.

'Anyway,' I said, desperately trying to shift the topic away from my love life – which was non-existent by the way, 'Where's this party taking place? And are we going shopping? I don't have anything to wear,'

'Then wear nothing,' Adrian whispered loudly. I shoved at him hard and he nearly fell off his chair. Christian laughed so hard he nearly choked on his food whilst Lissa ignored the commotion. She was getting better at ignoring our juvenile antics.

'We're going to the Adirondack mountains. There's a resort there that is for the exclusive use of Morois and Christian's managed to organize a ballroom for us,'

'But you've only been engaged for a few days! How did you do all this?' Surely she couldn't be that good.

Lissa smiled proudly at Christian, 'Christian arranged it all before he popped the question,'

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Christian? Seriously?

'Hey don't underestimate me, Punk,' Christian smirked at me, already second-guessing what I was thinking. I rolled my eyes at him. I had to give it to him though. I knew that Lissa always managed to pull off big events without breaking a sweat - I swore she worked on a 48-hour clock, unlike the rest of us - but I didn't think Christian could organize anything to save his life.

'What if she said no?' I taunted.

'Then at least I'd have an awesome party to nurse my broken heart at,' he retorted and Lissa playfully slapped him on his arm.

'It's about a 4 to 5 hour drive away from here, so we're going to have to head there later today. We're all going to be staying at a villa and we've decided that since we're there, we might as well stay for the week,' Lissa grinned and I smiled back at her. I had no idea where Lissa and Christian got the money to host something like this, but they were Royal.

'And yes, we're going shopping today,' she continued, as she daintily placed a piece of toast in her mouth.

Christian and Adrian groaned loudly but one look from Lissa shut them up. 'Wonderful!' Tasha cried, 'Dimitri and I will join you,'

It was my turn to groan, albeit inwardly.

--

It didn't take long for me to find a dress – it was understated, and not quite my usual style but it exuded a certain elegance despite its simplicity. Lissa had picked it out and I initially rejected it, but decided that it wouldn't hurt to try it on anyway. The moment I had it on, I knew it was the dress I wanted to be in when I welcomed the New Year. I did a little twirl in front of the gang and got cheers of approval from the boys, except Dimitri – he was too busy being a Guardian to notice, I was sure. My heart had sunk in disappointment but I told myself to stop thinking about a man who was already committed to someone else.

'That didn't take too long,' I said to Adrian as Mia paid for her dress. She was the last one to find hers, but the wait was more than worth it for her.

'If three hours isn't long, I don't know what is,' Adrian sulked. I didn't think three hours was a lot of time when there were 4 girls who had to find dresses. Alberta, Katie and Tanya would all be on Guardian duty on New Year's Eve and so wouldn't be able to join in the fun. We were about to head home when Lissa spotted one of her favourite stores.

'Oh, Victoria's Secret!' Lissa cried out and before I knew it, I was being dragged into the famous lingerie store. I didn't want to think about what Lissa had in mind for Christian. No doubt, I would be dragged into one of their passionate lovemaking sessions and find out for myself.

'Now, this, I like,' Adrian said, smirking at me. I glared at him, trying to look as menacing as possible.

'Looking for something special for your girlfriend?' the salesgirl strode up to Adrian and me. Her name plate read Rebecca.

'Of course,' Adrian said, self-satisfactorily, 'What do you think she'll look good in?'

'Oh no… I really don't need anything,' I said, inching my way towards the exit. I glanced towards Lissa, hoping she might help me but she and Tasha were engrossed in a discussion about which bra Lissa should purchase to make her breasts look bigger.

'What about this?' Rebecca shoved a black lacy bra in my face. I shook my head vehemently. There was no way I was going to let Adrian buy me anything so intimate.

'This would look beautiful on you!' Rebecca picked out a coral pink bra. I agreed with her, it would go perfectly with my skin color, but I didn't need it. I could see that Adrian was clearly enjoying this. I was going to have to thump him when we got home. He was so crossing that fine line we had agreed on.

'Okay, time to go, it's getting dark,' Dimitri suddenly announced curtly from behind me. It made me jump in surprise but I was silently grateful for his intervention. Lissa, Tasha, Mia and Ayeshah quickly paid for their purchases and we all left the store. Rebecca looked dismayed that she hadn't managed to sell me anything but Adrian promised her that we would be back. I think he was just trying to get her phone number.

--

After some frantic packing, we all managed to hit the road before 7pm. Lissa packed us all a few sandwiches for the drive – I swear, she's the Moroi version of Betty Crocker – which I, and I'm sure the rest of the Guardians, were grateful for. I was so hungry I even ate Lissa's share of sandwiches. She had just gone to the feeders before we left so she wasn't hungry at all. Alberta was driving and Dimitri sat up at the front with her with a map sprawled across his lap. I had complete confidence that he would get us there safely.

'I'm sitting next to Rose,' I heard Adrian call out. I rolled my eyes, confused as to why he was suddenly overly affectionate with me.

Once everyone was settled and we started to hit the road, I hissed softly at Adrian, 'What's with the display of affection?' I made sure no one else heard us.

'What do you mean?' he asked innocently, arching his eyebrows the same way as Dimitri does, 'I'm always affectionate with you,'

'You've been acting strange since I got back,' I said, eyeing him warily. I was aware of Dimitri quietly giving Alberta the directions and Lissa, Christian, and Tasha, who sat in front of us, were starting to nod off. Eddie had decided to go in the other car with Mia and company so Adrian and I were relatively inconspicuous at the back.

'What's with the whole kissing thing? And being in love? What the hell?' I expanded.

'You've been away for a while, I missed you and I've always been in love with you, Little Dhampir. Don't tell me you don't know that,' Adrian explained. I looked at him suspiciously, trying to make out whether he was telling the truth. He looked amused; as though there was something he wasn't telling me.

'I thought we had an understanding,'

'We did,' he grinned. He was incredibly handsome, and I didn't want to try and count the number of hearts he had captured with that irresistible grin alone. 'Doesn't mean I can't go back on it,' he continued, his green eyes sparkling mischievously. I knew better than to take him seriously. We had developed a certain camaraderie over the past year and whilst we frequently exchanged flirtations, we both knew that was all it was. We had agreed on not crossing that line. I gave him an exasperated smile, shook my head and turned to look out the window.

Seconds later, I felt Adrian's warm breath on my neck as he whispered, 'I was serious,'

I turned around to tell him off, only to find him inches away from my face. He was staring at my lips and I quickly shoved him away from me. What was he playing at? Adrian had stopped trying to cross the line ages ago, why was he going out of his way to now?

'What are you doing?' I hissed at him. He smiled serenely to himself as he placed both his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

'Fine, see if I care,' I shot at him before turning huffily to stare out the window again. The rest of the ride was spent in silence. Some terrible 60s music was playing on the radio and I didn't know whether to blame Dimitri or Alberta for it. It drove me insane, so I chose to doze off instead.

We finally reached our villa in just over 4 hours. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I drank in the scenery. My heightened senses meant that despite it being pitch black, I could still make out quite clearly, the towering mountains that surrounded us. This place was going to be beautiful in the day. Damn, Royal Morois truly have it all! Some distance away from our villa was the main resort, where Lissa and Christian's engagement party will be held.

Our villa was massive; it had rooms for all of us and we even had a heated swimming pool in the basement. I could definitely get used to living like this. 'How did you get this place?' I gushed as I entered the villa. It looked like a place only Tatiana would ever be allowed to stay at. Christian said that Adrian had to pull some strings with his aunt. Figures, I knew the villa was too beautiful for ordinary Morois, even Royal ones.

We all settled into our rooms and I decided to check out the gym that Lissa was telling me about. She always made sure that wherever we went, there was a gym in which I could work out in. After changing into some work-out clothes, I jogged towards the main building. The crisp mountain air filled my lungs and I decided that the gym could wait. Despite the snow falling around me, I jogged around the resort, taking in the distant mountains and the soft glow of lights from the occupied rooms. _Running in snow, Dimitri would have been proud_, I thought and almost immediately, mentally slapped myself. Dimitri again. This has nothing to do with Dimitri, I reminded myself as I jogged towards the gym, hoping that a date with the boxing bags will make me feel better about the fact that I have to spend a week seeing him and Tasha together.

In order to keep up with Guardian training, Lissa always made sure that there was a fully equipped gym available, no matter where we traveled to. The gyms, even the gym back in our apartment in New York, had nothing on the fully equipped one at the Royal Court, but they usually contained enough equipment for Guardians to maintain an optimum level of fitness. It was probably part of the Guardian job description to train at least every second day anyway. Besides, Lissa knew that keeping me away from exercise for more than few days would drive me up the wall. Even on my days off, I enjoyed a work out. It kept me sane, especially after Dimitri left.

The resort gym was like every other hotel gym. It had a few boxing bags, a few treadmills and few weights in the corner. It was a good thing that most of my training didn't rely on machines. I had stuck to the regime Dimitri had written me - it consisted of some boxing, a lot of push-ups, sit-ups and chin-ups and even more running. Occasionally, I would throw in a stake-the-dummy practice, but only if there were expendable dummies around. There was no one else at the gym so I squared myself in front of a boxing bag and felt my mind slip into attack mode. The next few minutes went by as a blur as I focused on the target, kicking, punching, hitting. I was good and the adrenaline coursing through me felt good.

'Good form, Rose,' suddenly, a more than familiar voice called out. I spun around in surprise. It was Dimitri. His hands were clasped behind his back as he strode slowly towards me. It was just like him to move around silently and stealthily. It was no wonder that I didn't hear him come in. If he was still mentoring me, I knew he would lecture me on paying more attention to who was around me.

'Thank you,' I nodded warily. What did he want? How did he find me here? Has he been following me? My heart thudded quickly, the only way it thuds when he's around.

'I see that you've remembered my lessons well. I'm proud to say that I trained one of the best guardians,' Dimitri smiled.

'Thanks, but you've been away for a while. How are you to know how good I am?' I knew I was good. Despite living in New York and the scarcity of Strigois there, I've steadily gained respect as one of the most accomplished and dedicated Guardians. It was an uphill battle when I first graduated; my arrogance earned me many challenges from senior Guardians, but I quickly proved to them how good I was.

'I've heard stories,'

My heart flustered, he's been asking about me. _Pull yourself together, Hathaway. It doesn't mean he's asked about you._

I smiled, hoping that I looked as calm and collected as he did, 'Well, whoever your sources are, I thank them for being kind,'

He smiled back at me. My heart ached. The bastard chose Tasha and I still ached for him. He remained devastatingly handsome. The year had aged him slightly, but that only gave him a ruggedness that enhanced his already dark looks. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled at the edges. He looked hardened and distinguished at the same time. And I was transported back to when I first fell dangerously in love with him. This was not going to be good.

'Are you happy?' he asked suddenly, interrupting my thoughts.

What kind of question was that? I looked at him warily, unsure what to say so I finally said, 'As happy as one can be, given the circumstances'

That had come out a little snappier than I had intended but my mood was fast becoming foul. I hated myself for not letting go. He left me over a year ago, just past my 18th birthday and I'm still pining for him like the pathetic school girl that I was. I had just graduated, just become legal, and I couldn't think of any reason for him leaving me except that he loved Tasha more, chose an easier, better life over me. _Bastard_, I thought venomously. I hated Lissa for inviting him, I hated him for visiting, and I especially hated the fact that he's here, interrupting my workout, trying to make small talk as if nothing ever happened between us.

He chuckled. I hated that chuckle. It tugged at my heart strings. 'And how happy can one be given the circumstances?'

'I'm well Dimitri,' I turned around to face the boxing bags. Tears were threatening me. I had come to the gym to escape my demons and here he was, the cause of all my sleepless nights. I really didn't need this in my life. It's been more than a year. Over the course of that time, I had immersed myself in Guardian duties, trying to become the best Guardian for Lissa. She was my best friend, the only one that matters.

'I really should get back to it,' I said after a while, nodding at the boxing bags. Maybe I should try to find a dummy that looked like Dimitri and I can practice stabbing it. Now that would be fun. Only, knowing what a pathetic wreck of a person I become at the sight of him, I might start kissing the dummy instead. I was seriously pathetic.

'Would you care for a spar with your old mentor instead?' Dimitri offered. Why was he doing this? If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was trying to find excuses to hang around me. But I knew better. That was the tragedy.

Sparring. What harm can it do right? So I shrugged and said, 'Sure'

We both took our positions and as he advanced, I quickly realized that in my current state, sparring him was a very bad decision. I was close enough to look into his eyes, the same deep concentration and passion flowed through them; I could smell his scent, the same intoxicating smell of raw power and male adrenaline; I could feel his touch against my skin as he threw blow after blow at me, the same one that once caressed me gently a long time ago. I tried my best to focus, tried to tell myself that he's the enemy and yet the flood of memories that ensued meant that Dimitri had an easy time throwing me off my balance and landing me on my back.

I was pissed off. I had never lost my focus like this before. What the hell was wrong with me? My eyes flashed open to find him crouching over me, in the same position that we were all those years before. He was looking at me strangely, like he was struggling to control himself. My heart was beating so loudly that I was certain he could hear it. _Is he going to kiss me?_

Then, he let go of me and stood up abruptly. Turning to one side, he said, 'Looks like the stories aren't as true, Hathaway'.

_Hathaway, you are a Class A idiot._

Now I wasn't just pissed off. I was hurt, bitter and humiliated. 'Fuck you,' I spat and stormed out of the gym, out of the lobby and into the darkness.

The cold air hit my face as I frantically wiped the tears away. I ran towards the edge of the mountain. From there, I could see the snow covered plains in the distance. I screamed at the mountains and then I broke down and sobbed. I hated him for coming back, but most of all, I hated myself for being weak. How could I let him get to me like that?

As I sat on the edge of the mountain, I started to consider whether it would be too late to fly back to Europe to join my parents. But that would be weak. And a good Guardian is never weak. I was just caught off guard. It's been an emotional 24 hours and it will get better. I will learn to control my emotions better. After all, keeping emotions in check was an important, even vital, part of being a Guardian. I will turn around and apologize to him for my unruly behavior. I will control myself and I will maintain my distance. He is not mine. I will not entertain thoughts of kissing him. I will let the memories go. I will move on. It's been more than a year. It's about time.

_Yes_, I told myself again, _it is time to move on_.

I trudged slowly back to the villa, feeling a little better now that I've made the decision to move on with my life and leave it all behind. No matter what front I presented to everyone else, I was clearly still pining for him. No more though. I will always hold the memory of him in a special place in my heart. But I will no longer allow myself to visit that place. I smiled bitterly. _This must be what it's like to grow up_.

The welcoming smell of roast turkey wafted through the door and made me smile. Lissa had planned a dinner party for the gang that night. She said it was my welcome home dinner. Despite being away, she still took it upon herself to cook meals for us, not that I was complaining. No doubt there will be too much food and wine. I was determined to enjoy myself that night. While no one else will know it, I will be celebrating my release from being love-sick.

'Had a good gym session?' Adrian was perched on the couch when I entered the front door.

I gave him my brightest smile; 'Yup' I winked at him and climbed the stairs to my room to get changed, leaving him bewildered. He was obviously confused at my sudden change in attitude towards him. But I was letting the past go; I might as well have some fun while I was at it, and since he was so adamant at crossing that line we had drawn, I would take advantage of it.

I passed Dimitri and Tasha's room on the way to mine and I decided to take the opportunity to apologize to Dimitri then. I knocked on the door and he opened it, surprised to see me. I smiled at him and said, 'Hey, I'm sorry about before. You were right. I wasn't concentrating and if you were disappointed at my lack of focus, I'm sorry about that. I will endeavor to be the best guardian that I possibly can. It's just been a tiring day... Flying back, coming here… Not that that's any excuse…' I was rambling and I had to stop before I made a fool out of myself, 'But most of all… I'm sorry for being rude,'

He just looked at me. I thought that was rude. The least he could do was acknowledge my apology.

'Um… Well... I hope you and Tasha have an enjoyable stay. And if you ever want to spar again, I'll make sure I'm prepared for it,' I forced a smile and turned to walk away.

'Thanks Roza – you've grown in more ways than I thought,'

Roza.

There goes my heart again. I swore I heard it break as I brushed the sentiment away. I forced a smile at him and walked away. I was proud of myself.

* * *

**Did you like it? I felt that I may have rushed things a bit. If so, please let me know and I'll try to slow things down a little next time. With love, bluestarberry.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Hi everyone! I apologize for the late update - it's been a killer week. Anyway, thanks for all the lovely reviews, I really appreciate them. They never fail to make me smile and can make a crap day at work turn into a not so crap one! :)**

**Just a few things I want to say:  
- I know I'm taking my time sending them to Australia. I just think there are a couple of things that need to happen before they leave. I promise I'll try to make it sooner rather than later, so please bear with me.  
- Like the previous chapter, all attempts have been made to make sure all sentences are complete and there are no grammatical errors, but if there are, please forgive me. After re-reading the chapter a few times, it gets hard to pick up on mistakes.  
- VA and associated characters belong to Richelle Mead.  
- This chapter is again written in Rose's PoV. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Happy Reading~**

**Chapter 4**

**Rose's Point of View**

Dinner time came by fast and I was determined to have fun that night. Naturally, part of having fun was dressing up. After all, Guardians don't get to dress up often. After going through all the dresses that I brought along, I finally decided on my favourite black dress. I knew I would have Adrian salivating at me, and maybe a tiny part of me wanted to catch Dimitri's eye too. But it was just a tiny part of me. I promise. I was trying to work at this forgetting him business, but it's easier said than done. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. I looked good. It was a nice change from the usual Guardian clothes that I wore all the time. I decided to wear my hair up so I could show off my slender neck and shoulders. I teased a few tendrils of hair loose to frame my face and I smiled at the softening effect it had on my face. I knew Dimitri would approve, not that it mattered. I quickly applied some mascara and after strapping on some black heels, I was ready for my party.

As I descended the stairs and made my way into the dining room, I heard Alberta, Katie and Tanya yell out their regrets for not being able to have dinner as they had a security meeting to attend for tomorrow's event. It was a shame because Alberta, Katie, Tanya and I had grown close ever since we moved to New York. Alberta had always acted as our mentor; but we've seen her let her hair down on a number of occasions and she was actually quite fun to be around. I met Katie at Court, shortly after Graduation. Katie was much more reserved than I was, but when it came to training and fighting, no one was more dedicated that she was. Maybe except me. When she was assigned to Mia, we started to hang out a little bit more and I quickly found out that she wasn't as boring as I initially thought she was, especially after I found out that she was quietly opposing Tatiana's orders by teaching Mia how to fight and even letting Mia take on Strigoi (anyone who opposed Tatiana automatically made it in my good books). I knew there had to be a reason behind Mia's eagerness to have Katie on board.

Lissa and I met Tanya, with her charge – Ayeshah – in New York. Having moved to New York a year before we did, Ayeshah volunteered to show us the city as she felt compelled to pass on the kindness someone else showed her when she first arrived. I always found that there was a certain mystical quality about her, even after knowing her for about a year. She never talked about why she came to America, and on the few occasions when we've asked her, she had always changed the topic. Lissa and I decided that she must be running away from memories of a lost love. It was much more romantic than Christian's version – that she's a convicted drug dealer and has a price on her head. He was always coming up with stupid conspiracy theories like that. Ayeshah is an Air user, and whilst she was at first hesitant to the idea of offensive magic, she quickly became interested; although, as far as I knew, she hasn't managed to learn much offensive magic yet. Ayeshah was of Middle Eastern background and so, despite being Moroi, she had dark hair, as opposed to the usual light blonde that usually distinguished the Morois from the Dhampirs. She was incredibly beautiful and I had seen Adrian check her out a few times, but he always laughed it off when I asked him. 'I only have eyes for you,' he would say and I would chuck something at him.

When I first met Tanya, I got the impression that she was very stern and dry in her approach to life. She took everything seriously, and I rarely ever saw her joke. She usually wore the same controlled expression as Dimitri did. She hardly ever laughed at my jokes; which I thought was fair effort on her part, because I like to think that I'm hilarious. I gave up trying to bond with her after trying a few times to talk and getting monosyllabic responses, but over time, she started to grow on me. She was fiercely loyal to Ayeshah and became enraged at Katie and I one day when we tried to ask her about Ayeshah's history. I respect that sort of friendship, it reminded me very much of the one I had with Lissa.

When I got to the dining room, I stood quietly at the entrance for a few minutes as I took in the sight in front of me. Everyone was standing around in groups chatting to each other with drinks in their hands. Mia was laughing at something Eddie said, and I swore I saw her bat her eyelids flirtatiously at him. _Hmm… Interesting,_ I thought, and I decided to flag it as something to follow up with Mia another time.

Adrian was by the bar making a cocktail for Ayeshah and I hoped, for her sake, that he didn't slip in an extra shot of alcohol. Adrian likes his alcohol, but more than that, he likes getting everyone else drunk. It was as though it would justify his own intoxication.

Dimitri was talking animatedly to Peter and David, possibly relating an interesting mission he was involved in. They had admiration in their eyes as they listened attentively. It must have been a dangerous mission. Dimitri was casually dressed in a white polo shirt and dark blue jeans, looking as good as he always did. He lifted his beer to his lips and in that moment, I would've given anything to be that beer bottle.

My heart thudded rapidly. The damned thing. Didn't it know how to let go?

I let out a heavy sigh as I pushed my lusty thoughts aside. I strode into the dining room, putting on a façade of confidence. As I predicted, every pair of male eyes turned to look at me – including Dimitri's. I smiled triumphantly to myself.

'What?' I decided to single Christian out, 'Never seen a Guardian dress up before?'

'Please,' he rolled his eyes, 'Is that the best you can look?'

'Well I look a lot better than you do!' I shot back at him, 'which is not hard to,'

Eddie guffawed and Christian scowled as he elbowed him in his ribs fiercely. Mia was immediately by Eddie's side as he rubbed his ribs, still laughing. _Hmm… Definitely something there_, I thought but before I could consider it further, Adrian was beside me. His arms snaked around my waist as he held me against him.

'I know how to walk on my own,' I joked, lightly shoving him away.

'Once I'm done with you, you won't be doing any walking – I can tell you that much,' Adrian's eyes sparkled.

I rolled my eyes at him and everyone groaned. I smacked him over the head, 'Quit it,' and turning to Lissa said, 'So are we ready for dinner?'

Lissa chuckled, 'We've been ready for ages Rose! You're always the last one to get ready,'

'Hey I've got to look good okay. Now, wasn't it worth it?' I joked, turning around in a circle and looked at every guy in the room except Dimitri. I didn't have to look at him; I knew he was looking at me.

_Eat your heart out_, I thought.

Everyone agreed whole heartedly, except Christian, naturally. He just muttered something about being narcissistic. Lissa laughed and told everyone to take their seats. I immediately lunged for the one next to Lissa. I was _not_ going to be stuck anywhere near Dimitri or Tasha.

Dinner started off with a warm tomato soup, which I mentally told myself to remember to ask Lissa to teach me how to make. It was creamy, without being too heavy. I would have had more than a bowl if I didn't already know that there would be more food to come. Our main course consisted of roast turkey, roast ham, and roast potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, and onions. There was so much food I thought I had died and gone to culinary heaven. The Morois didn't eat much, but there were enough hungry Guardians to polish off the food.

'How are you not morbidly obese?' Mia asked as I went for my second helping of roast turkey.

I grinned at her, 'Guardian's secret,'

I saw Dimitri try to suppress a smile and my heart fluttered happily, knowing that I was the cause of it.

Aside from the food, there was wine too. So much wine. I drank more than I would usually allow myself but I told myself that I was celebrating letting go of Dimitri. After over a year of pining for him, I didn't know what could be a bigger celebration. Naturally, Adrian encouraged the drinking, topping up my glass whenever it was half full. I was more than tipsy when Lissa finally served dessert.

Chocolate mousse, strawberry cheesecake, and chocolate ice cream. Seriously, did Lissa think that we would be able to finish all of this? She always went overboard when cooking for Guardians. It was the best welcome home dinner ever.

As I spooned the last of my second helping of chocolate mousse into my mouth, I decided that Lissa needed to be toasted so I clanged my spoon loudly against my wine glass and stood up. I wavered a little on my feet and Adrian went to steady me, laughing hysterically. I laughed along with him – we were drunk. I was happy. It didn't matter if no one else found it funny. Lissa gave me a funny look as if trying to tell me that I should stop drinking, but nothing came through the bond so I dismissed it as unimportant. She was worrying too much again.

'LISTEN! I want to toast my best friend – Vasilissa Dragomir – for tonight's dinner. Once again, you never fail to amaze me with your culinary skills. Thank you for dinner, and for being the best friend anyone could ever ask for!' I shouted loudly.

There were cheers all round the table as I finished my wine. Lissa blushed and said thank you through our bond. Adrian cheered the loudest and went to top up my glass when Dimitri reached out to stop him. Adrian flashed an angry look at Dimitri.

'She's had too much to drink,' Dimitri explained.

'Pft!' Adrian brushed him away and asked me loudly, 'Rose, have you had enough?'

'NO!' I shouted happily. I was far from caring what Dimitri had to say, 'Top it up! WOO!'

Adrian shot Dimitri a smug look and topped up my wine glass. He then poured more wine into his own glass and turned to me, 'To the most beautiful woman in the world,'

I smiled at him and he drank deeply. I followed suit, downing my wine in a go, which earned loud cheers from Eddie, Christian, Adrian, Peter and David. Mia and Ayeshah were shaking their heads, but judging by the amused expression they had on their faces, they were enjoying the show I was putting on for them nonetheless. Tasha shared a concerned look with Lissa and I rolled my eyes at them. Party poopers.

I smiled brazenly at Dimitri, as if trying to make a point – although I wasn't quite sure what the point was at that stage. He frowned at me.

'Aren't you going to applaud me, Dimitri?' I demanded. Lissa laughed nervously and shook her head disapprovingly. _You've had way too much to drink Rose_, she said through our bond. I ignored her.

There was a momentary silence as everyone waited to see what would happen.

Then Adrian announced loudly, 'Well, if he won't applaud you, I will!' and taking my face in his hands, kissed me deeply.

I opened my eyes wide, shocked at the sudden intrusion. Everyone in the room whooped and cheered Adrian on so I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy it. He tasted like alcohol, but to be fair, I probably did too.

Seconds later, I felt someone yank him away from me. I opened my eyes in time to see Dimitri half-throw Adrian into the wall.

'Stay away from her,' Dimitri growled, 'Can't you see she's drunk?'

_Whoa. What just happened?_

It was weird. It wasn't like Dimitri to interfere like that, especially when he's dealing with a Royal Moroi. What happened to his prided self control?

Adrian stared murderously at Dimitri, 'And so what if she is?'

'You disgust me, Ivashkov,' Dimitri snarled.

I could feel that Lissa was getting increasingly flustered and confused by the commotion unfolding in front of her. She stood up and tried to sit me down but I brushed her aside as I tried to compose myself and register what had just happened.

'Don't you dare talk to me like that, Belikov,' Adrian walked up to Dimitri. He wasn't as tall as Dimitri but Adrian looked like he was going to take Dimitri on, regardless.

Even through my semi-drunken haze, I knew I had to stop the fight. It was my party and Lissa had gone through so much effort for it. No one was spoiling it.

'Hey!' I slurred at Dimitri, 'So what if I'm drunk?'

Okay, maybe not the best way to stop a fight.

He looked at me angrily, 'Pull yourself together Rose. You're no longer 17,'

I felt my cheeks heat up. His patronizing comment stung and I felt my anger boil over. I looked at him murderously. So he wants to play dirty does he?

'Yeah, I'm no longer 17. I'm glad I'm no longer 17. When I was 17, I was stupid enough to believe your lies about loving me!'

I heard a collective gasp around the table. As far as I knew, Lissa, Christian and Adrian were the only ones who knew. Hello, rude newsflash, Tasha! Dimitri looked like he'd been whipped across the face. I definitely went for the below-the-belt attack and immediately regretted it. So much for saving the party. I felt like I was going to be sick – it may have been the combination of the excessive alcohol, all the raw emotions of the day and now this unsalvageable dinner party. I turned around to storm out of the dining hall, wanting to be anywhere but there.

'Is that your solution Rose? Just run away from things every time they don't go your way?' Dimitri shouted after me. The asshole! How dare he lecture me about running away!

I turned around and glared at him, 'let's see, aren't you the expert in running away from fucked up situations? Just learning from the best, mentor!' and with that, I stormed out of the villa, trying to ignore the painful thumping in my heart.

--

'Rose,' I heard Dimitri come after me, 'Roza. Wait,'

I was surprised at how quickly I could move through the snow in heels. I amaze myself sometimes, I must admit. The cold air quickly sobered me up and I grew increasingly remorseful for making the situation worse. I should have just shut my mouth. Now I've ruined the night for everyone, especially Lissa. I didn't want to even begin to think about the rumours that would spread.

'ROZA!'

Okay, he was starting to get to me.

I spun around to face him, 'Do _not_ ever call me that again!'

Hurt flashed across his eyes. Fuck him. As if he's the only one hurting. 'Rose, you'll freeze. Take my jacket,' he reached out towards me and I backed away from him. I wasn't going to let him touch me. One touch would be all it would take to unravel me and my fragile composure, one touch and I was certain I would be his again. The same pained expression was on him again and for a split second, I almost wanted to reach out to comfort him. Damn him for being so irresistible.

'What's wrong Dimitri? Does rejection hurt?' I smirked, deciding to opt for bravado instead. We stared at each other for a few seconds and then it all came apart for me; it was as if I was tired of holding it all in.

'You don't even know what rejection means. All this time while you were playing happy families with Tasha, I've been trying to forget you and what we had together. I loved you Dimitri and I would have fought everything and everyone for you. Yes, even the whole damned bureaucracy! But I realize now that I was naïve; that you were never… Would _never_ be prepared to do the same for me. It's been more than a year, Dimitri. I was piecing my life back together but then you had to turn up again. And… Everything's upside down again. I hate it. It has to stop. You said I was just an infatuation, a random distraction. Act like it. Stop pretending to care about me when I know you don't. Offering me your jacket… Asking me if I'm happy… Just… Stop it,'

I was crying at the end of my rant. So much for cool and collected, so much for trying to be eloquent, so much for growing up. Ah, I need to get a hold of myself.

'So please, I am not Roza to you. Not anymore,' I breathed heavily, desperately trying to control my tears.

He took a step towards me and I backed away again.

I briefly glanced up at him and it was as though something in him snapped, 'I do care about you. My heart shattered when yours did. Just because I chose to leave first, just because I did what we both knew would be inevitable, doesn't mean that I hurt any less than you did. I think about you, dream about you all the time. But someone needs to be realistic here. We're duty bound to our charges. We can never be bound to each other. I know how much Lissa means to you. What if one day, you need to choose? I don't want you to ever have to make that choice,'

I slapped him hard and he reeled back in shock. I felt the anger build up in me once again, 'Stop using Lissa as an excuse for leaving me. You left me because you were ashamed of what we had. You left me because I could never give you a family, because Tasha was always going to be the better deal, because I was just… Some girl… Some _stupid_ girl,'

'Roz-…'

'Please,' I interrupted him. I didn't care for his explanations. To me, they were just excuses, the same ones he spun when I was still at St. Vlad's. It didn't stop him from getting involved with me then. But when push came to shove, when I became an official Guardian, when he realized that I expected more than just secret meetings and stolen kisses, he bolted.

Suddenly, I felt extremely drained, 'Who I kiss, who I date, and even if I really wanted to, who I sleep with is no longer any of your business. For the remainder of your stay, _please_ do not embarrass yourself by interfering. I loved you back then. I loved you all this time while you were away. Now, I'm going to stop loving you,' I avoided his gaze. I couldn't believe my heart could break so many times, 'Maybe one day, I'll look back on what we had and smile at the memories. But for now, it is something I'd rather forget. You said you think about me, dream about me... You said that your heart broke. I'm sorry. I'm too busy trying to mend my own to care,'

And without waiting for his response, I turned around to head back towards the villa. Lissa had followed me out and was staring at us with her mouth slightly open. I groaned inwardly, she must have heard everything. Why do I always end up in embarrassing situations? I felt Lissa's concern flood through our bond. I hung my head low, avoiding her gaze, and walked hurriedly inside. Lissa ran towards me and held me. _I'm so sorry, Rose._

I shook my head, battling to gain composure. I was silently grateful that it was just her and not everyone else; not that I was naïve enough to think that everyone else weren't already talking about me around the dining table. What a disaster of a night.

Lissa helped me into my room and wrapped me up in some blankets. My teeth were chattering by now. I didn't realize how cold I was as Dimitri and I had our screaming match. Lissa quickly whipped up a cup of hot chocolate and sat by me, rubbing my back. I could feel her agony and it only served to reinforce my own.

'I'm sorry for ruining your dinner party Liss,' I forced a smile at her, hugging my cup of hot chocolate. Who needs men when there's chocolate?

She shook her head, 'Rose. Please. You don't have to be strong. You've always been the strong one. For once, let me look after you. Let me be the strong one… I've been so caught up in my own world that I've neglected your feelings. How can I be so blind? I should have known that you still love him,'

'Past tense Liss, I don't love him anymore,' I said bitterly.

Lissa looked at me, 'Who do you think you're kidding? Rose, you gave up the love of your life so you can be my Guardian. I feel horrible about it, and extremely honored at the same time,'

'Lissa, that's not true. He was a coward for using that excuse. Don't listen to it. We could have both been your Guardians if he wanted to. We would've made it work,'

Lissa shook her head. 'It wouldn't work Rose. If Strigoi attacked, he would throw himself in front of you, when his duty will be to throw himself in front of me,' mirroring Dimitri's past words.

'There would've been a way,' I said stubbornly, 'I would've thrown myself in front of you. And if he threw himself in front of me, then he would technically be throwing himself in front of you too! Or he could've been reassigned. He…'

'Rose,' Lissa cut me off, smiling sadly, 'I'm sorry,' and I was too tired to argue with her, so I let it go. It didn't matter anymore anyway. She told me that she would take care of everything tonight and that she would explain in as little detail as possible. I thanked her tiredly and she held me in her arms as I quietly sobbed myself to sleep.

And for the first time since Dimitri left me, I didn't dream of him.

* * *

**Did you like it? I'm thinking of writing a DPoV for this. What do you guys think? Or should I just get things moving instead...? Please let me know what you think.  
**

**With love, bluestarberry**


	5. Chapter 4 , DPoV

**Hi guys, firstly, thank you for the lovely, lovely reviews. Secondly, I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates. I'm trying to be good with updates but I've been busy with moving house and the internet hasn't kicked in at the new place yet – super annoying! To make up for it, I'm going to update two chapters. I'm uploading this from uni so I don't have the usual luxury of proof-reading the story a few times before publishing. I hope this chapter redeems Dimitri a little.**

**The usual disclaimers apply and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 4**

**Dimitri's Point of View**

Everyone was waiting for Rose to finish getting ready before dinner would be served up. I had quickly pulled on a white polo shirt and dark blue jeans. My wardrobe wasn't something you'd call exciting. All I needed were a few good pairs of jeans, a few polo shirts in different colors, a couple of casual t-shirts and my brown duster to shield me from the cold. I was sure Rose's wardrobe would be much more interesting; hence the time it's taking her to dress up.

Lissa was cooking up a storm in the kitchen and her Moroi friends, Mia and Ayeshah were helping her prepare the dessert. I sneaked a look at the chocolate mousse and my stomach rumbled in response. For someone who doesn't have to eat a lot, she sure does love cooking. I managed to grab myself a beer from the fridge before Lissa shooed me out of the kitchen, possibly because she saw me eyeing the dessert hungrily.

With my beer in hand, I wandered around the villa, checking out the grandeur of the place. Tasha was still getting ready and none of the boys were around. I let my mind wander back to when I came dangerously close to kissing Rose in the gym.

Her lips were slightly parted, her warm breath tickled my neck, her chest heaved slightly – possibly from physical exertion, possibly from anticipation – I hoped it was the latter. She didn't know the effect she had on me, it took every ounce of willpower within me to stop myself from kissing her, every thread of logic left in my befuddled brain to pull myself away from her. It was as if I was drawn to her; as if, despite knowing that I should stay away from her, I couldn't help but yearn to be beside her, to touch her. I knew it was unlike her to lose her concentration, even momentarily and I wondered if she was thinking about the days when we used to spar against each other, because I sure was.

She frightened me. She seemed to have the ability to make me lose all reason when I'm around her. That unnerved me. I'm a Guardian, for crying out loud. I've been through some of the more rigorous Guardian training programs, I fight and kill Strigoi for a living, I'm taught to control my emotions, to use my reason and to focus, concentrate and not falter. And yet, when I'm around Rose, all that goes out of the window. All I can think about is how much I want her to be mine. Self-control can go fuck itself for all I cared.

I kicked myself mentally. I hated the fact that she ignited this internal struggle for control within me. I wasn't used to not being in control of myself. I have always been able to dictate to myself how to feel, how to act. And then there's that stupid decision I made over a year ago. The one where I decided that she is better off without me. And she might be. I'm still convinced that she is better off without me. But, that annoying voice at the back of my head that's telling me that _I'm_ not better off without her is getting stronger each day I live under the same roof as Rose.

So I decided to open my big mouth and hurt her again. It was the only way I knew how to protect her from myself. I couldn't bring myself to ruin her future, I kept telling myself and when she swore at me and ran out of the gym, I wanted nothing more than to go to her and tell her I was sorry, but I couldn't. How could I? For all I knew, she was starting to build her life up again in New York. She was going to leave for Australia at the end of the week. Telling her how I feel now is not going to achieve anything. She was still going to leave; I would still be Tasha's Guardian. It seemed that our fate as star crossed lovers was sealed. Why challenge it now, especially when I willingly gave into it a year ago?

I sighed heavily and made my way back to the dining room. Everyone, except Rose, was already in there chatting to each other. I made my way to the bar to pick up another beer as Peter and David approached me. They were young Guardians and I wasn't sure what rumors they had heard about me, but they had adoration in their eyes as they fired questions about a particular mission I had been involved in. I related it to them, as I had related it to many other Guardians previously. It was painful for me to talk about it but I kept my Guardian face on throughout. After all, hiding my emotions was what I did best.

The mission was of particular interest to Guardians because I didn't kill the Strigois who captured Tasha, I let them go. It's often been used by Queen Tatiana as an example of how violence is not always necessary in a mission. What she didn't know was the real reason behind my apparent 'compassion'. It was a secret I held close to my heart, one that I vowed not to ever let anyone find out. I couldn't even start to imagine the consequences it would have on my career and on the people I love. I took a sip of my beer as I contemplated this darkly. _Another reason why I can never tell Rose how I feel. Great.  
_

I was jolted out of my thoughts by a small gasp by Peter. I turned around to look at the object of his admiration. It was Rose. She had a black dress on and I felt my mouth go dry. She was wearing her hair up, exactly the way I liked it. My mind went blank as I drank her in. She was the epitome of perfection. A strand of hair fell down beside her cheek and I barely stopped myself from walking up to her and tucking it behind her ear. I started to wonder why God insisted on testing my restraint.

She was bantering with Christian about something. The two of them never stopped going off at each other but I didn't catch any of the conversation because I was too busy focusing on how beautiful she looked. All the boys were looking at her lustily, but it was Adrian who sidled up to her and held Rose against him. I suddenly felt an immense need to knock someone's teeth out.

'I know how to walk on my own,' Rose was grinning at Adrian as she gave him a playful shove. It was a wonder I didn't break my beer bottle. I couldn't believe she was actually flirting with the son-of-a-bitch.

'Once I'm done with you, you won't be doing any walking – I can tell you that much,' Adrian said and it took all my resolve to not throw him into a wall.

Thankfully, Rose put an end to the flirting as she smacked Adrian across the head, 'Quit it,'

Her reproach was playful. I would've preferred if she gave him a concussion. _Maybe I need to attend more of those self-control workshops they run for Guardians_, I thought. The fact that I was seriously contemplating hurting a Royal Moroi for Rose was extremely worrying. I'm meant to defend Morois, not daydream about inflicting severe bodily harm to them.

'So are we ready for dinner?' Rose asked Lissa.

'We've been ready for ages Rose! You're always the last one to get ready,' was Lissa's reply.

'Hey I've got to look good okay. Now, wasn't it worth it?' Rose did a little twirl and looked at every guy in the room, except me. Of course it was worth it, it was more than worth it. I just wished she didn't bring every guy's attention to her body like that. It didn't help with calming the green eyed monster within me.

Lissa told everyone to take their seats as she went to the kitchen to get our dinner. My heart sank when Rose chose to sit herself next to Lissa and Adrian, but I told myself to grow up. She could sit wherever the hell she wanted to sit and I had no right to expect that she would choose to sit next to me. Why would she anyway?

There was a lot of food that night; I could definitely get used to having so much delicious food in front of me every night. Naturally, the Guardians polished everything off the plates – we need a lot of food, especially because we train so much. Tasha kept sending me funny glances throughout the night, as if she was trying to figure something out about me. She would smile mysteriously and shake her head at me when I looked at her pointedly. For a moment, my heart constricted in panic – did she know about Rose? Have I let my guard down too much? But I quickly decided against it. I was certain that I hid my feelings well.

'How are you not morbidly obese?' Mia, one of the Morois, asked Rose as she scooped her second helping of roast turkey onto her plate. It must be good genetics because Rose probably eats as much, if not more than I do, and yet she never seemed to put on any weight.

'Guardian's secret,' Rose teased and I tried to suppress a smile. Her reply tugged painfully at my heart strings as I reminisced on the days when I was her mentor. It triggered a flood of memories and I struggled to keep my stoicism. I missed her. I missed her quick wit, her jokes and our casual banter. I missed talking to her. I missed our easy conversations. It was such a shame that our conversations were now awkward and full of pregnant pauses.

_She's probably not even interested in talking_, I thought sadly. At the gym, she looked like talking to me was the last thing she wanted to do. I could almost feel the animosity roll off her. And she had every right to resent me, but I couldn't help but want to be close to her, to try and talk to her, to see if we could somehow, be friends, or at least be on talking terms. I was setting myself up for heartbreak, I knew that. But I couldn't help it. I needed to talk to her; I wanted to make her laugh again.

My thoughts were interrupted by Rose clanging her spoon against her wine glass. I looked up at her. She wavered slightly on her feet. I knew she had had too much to drink. Rose was never a big drinker, but between her and Adrian, they had polished off several bottles of wine. Adrian went to steady her and they laughed hysterically. She was drunk and I had no doubt that Adrian would take advantage of the situation. I clenched my fists tightly under the table and told myself to practice some breathing exercises. It was one of the strategies that they taught us at a relaxation workshop I attended a few months ago.

'LISTEN! I want to toast my best friend – Vasilissa Dragomir – for tonight's dinner. Once again, you never fail to amaze me with your culinary skills. Thank you for dinner, and for being the best friend anyone could ever ask for!' Rose shouted loudly and finished her wine.

I cheered, albeit half heartedly, along with the rest of the table – I was too concerned about Rose's mental state. She really shouldn't be drinking so much – it wasn't good practice for Guardians to be intoxicated. We always had to be alert for our charges and it annoyed me that she didn't consider this. _You're more annoyed that she's drunk and might do something stupid with Adrian_. I hate that voice sometimes. I think because as much as I hate to admit it, more times than not, it's right.

I saw Adrian go to top up Rose's wine glass and suddenly, I felt like I had to do something. I couldn't just sit back and watch Adrian lead Rose further and further down that path of intoxication anymore so impulsively, I reached out to stop him. He flashed me an angry look and I had to remind myself to keep my fists in check.

'She's had too much to drink,' I tried to reason with him. I should have known better. There was no point trying to reason with an idiot, especially a drunk one.

'Pft!' Adrian snorted, and brushed my hand away. 'Rose have you had enough?'

'NO!' she yelled. She's had way too much to drink, 'Top it up! WOO!'

Adrian shot me a smug look and I would've liked nothing better than to feed him my fist. He poured more wine into his own glass and turning to Rose, said, 'To the most beautiful woman in the world,'

She smiled at him. She actually frigging smiled at him. I couldn't believe Rose was buying into his bullshit. I felt Tasha lay a concerned hand on my arm, but I ignored it. Rose followed suit, downing her wine in a go and it earned cheers all around the table again, as if she needed more encouragement.

Then, to my surprise, she turned to me and smiled brazenly. I was taken aback by her sudden gesture and instinctively chose to frown at her instead. It was better than giving her the satisfaction of knowing that every time she paid me attention, no matter how little, it made my heart soar.

'Aren't you going to applaud me, Dimitri?' she demanded.

If she thought I was going to encourage her drinking, she was in for a rude shock. There was a momentary silence as I battled what to do next. What a way to put me on the spot! As I opened my mouth to reply, Adrian interrupted and said, 'Well, if he won't applaud you, I will!'

Self-righteous prick, who said anything about not applauding her?

And then what happened next made me lose the tiny thread of control I was so desperately hanging on to. Adrian took Rose's face in his hands and kissed her long and hard and if that wasn't enough to make me want to snap his neck in half, Rose closed her eyes and kissed him back. Without sparing another thought to my reputation or the fact that I was surrounded by some of Rose's closest friends, I roughly scraped my chair back, strode towards Adrian and yanked him away from her. She's drunk, it's the only reason why she would kiss him back and he was taking advantage of the situation, I told myself. I have to defend her honour, I argued. If it ever occurred to me that she didn't want her honour defended, that she was kissing him because she wanted to, even enjoyed it, I quickly pushed it away. It was a thought I didn't think I would ever be able to tolerate and no amount of anger management workshops would ever help it.

I half-threw Adrian into the wall and from the corner of my eye, could see his Guardians instinctively get up to protect him. They must have noticed the savage look in my eyes because they quickly backed down.

'Stay away from her,' I managed to say, 'Can't you see she's drunk?'

It was a surprise that I could even speak when all I wanted was to pummel the living daylights out of the punk. As I gave him my coldest stare, a part of me started to wonder what I was getting myself into. I was digging myself a hole. For all I knew, the whole Rose-Adrian thing could have been going on for a year. _But she said she's single_, I desperately insisted as I remembered what she said at breakfast a few days ago. A part of me had felt like flying when she made that begrudging confession.

I can usually bring even the toughest of Guardians to their knees with one mean look if I wanted to, but Adrian, either fueled by alcohol or a pure lack of judgment, stared murderously back at me. I would have snorted humorously at his puny attempt at a stare down if I wasn't feeling so murderous myself.

'And so what if she is?'

_God, please give me the strength to refrain from killing him._

'You disgust me, Ivashkov,' I managed to snarl instead.

He walked up to me and squared his shoulders back, 'Don't you dare talk to me like that, Belikov,'

If he thought that he could be in any way intimidating to me, he must be dreaming. But I was doing well in the self-control department, I thought. Apart from totally making a complete fool out of myself, I hadn't broken anyone's nose yet, which was a good start. I'm sure my self-control workshop leader would have been proud of me, although I'm sure when he gave us lessons on discipline, he wasn't referring to situations like the one I was in.

'Hey!' I heard Rose say and I turned to look at her.

'So what if I'm drunk?'

And suddenly, all that self-control I had desperately tried to regain went out of the window. She couldn't be serious could she? Was she trying to tell me that I should've let Adrian take advantage of her? Did she _want _to be taken advantage of? No, I kept telling myself. Rose would never let that happen, she's not like that and yet everything she's said and done tonight kind of seemed like she would let it happen, even wanted it to happen.

'Pull yourself together, Rose. You're no longer 17,' was my reply. I masked my disappointment with anger.

She blushed, embarrassed at my patronizing comment and I immediately regretted it. _I shouldn't have said it. What right did I have? God, I was an asshole. _

Seconds later, I saw her eyes cloud over with anger. _Oh, this is not going to be good,_ I thought and sure enough, she spat, 'yeah, I'm no longer 17. I'm glad I'm no longer 17. When I was 17, I was stupid enough to believe your lies about loving me!'

_Oh she did not just go there_, I groaned inwardly. A collective gasp went around the table. Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag now and I'm sure I would have a lot of explaining to do, especially with Tasha but at the moment, it was the last thing I cared about. I had caught a glimpse of moisture in Rose's eyes as she bitterly yelled at me and I wanted to catch her tears. I wanted to kiss them away. I wanted to say I was sorry, so very sorry.

She turned around to leave and without thinking, I yelled out to her, 'Is that your solution Rose? Just run away from things every time they don't go your way?'

Okay, not the best thing to say to her, especially when I had left her first.

She turned around and glared at me, 'Let's see, aren't you the expert in running away from fucked up situations? Just learning from the best, mentor!'

Touché.

I stood there, stunned for a few seconds as I watched her storm out of the villa, into the cold night.

--

'Go after her!' I heard Lissa whisper urgently at me, rousing me from my daze. It was all I needed to rush out after Rose. I quickly caught up with her. She was wearing heels and despite moving at a pace faster than I ever thought would be possible in heels, she was still considerably slower than if she was wearing sneakers.

'Rose,' I yelled out at her, 'Roza. Wait,'

She continued to ignore me, not that I blamed her. I had embarrassed her in front of all her friends and I really should have just kept my mouth shut. Why couldn't I just accept that Rose will eventually be with Adrian? They seemed to have a close relationship. If it hadn't happened already, it would only be a matter of time before he would have her in his bed. The thought made me want to punch something.

'ROZA!' I yelled at her again.

She spun around to face me, 'do _not _ever call me that again!'

I felt a crack in the middle of my chest. Boy, it was starting to hurt as much as it did when I first left her. 'Rose, you'll freeze. Take my jacket,' I took my jacket off and handed it to her but she backed away from me. Why is my heart hurting so damn much? If I was Adrian, would she be in my arms?

'What's wrong Dimitri? Does rejection hurt?' she smirked, putting on a bold façade. What's wrong is that I love you, more than you can ever imagine but I can't be with you, I wanted to say.

We stared at each other for a few seconds and I saw her come apart. Her shoulders heaved violently as she tried to control her sobbing. My heart tightened painfully in my chest, as I cursed myself for making her cry. I wanted to hold her, but I wasn't sure if she would let me get close to her, let alone hold her.

'You don't even know what rejection means. All this time while you were playing happy families with Tasha, I've been trying to forget you and what we had together. I loved you Dimitri and I would have fought everything and everyone for you. Yes, even the whole damned bureaucracy! But I realize now that I was naïve; that you were never… Would _never_ be prepared to do the same for me. It's been more than a year, Dimitri. I was piecing my life back together but then you had to turn up again. And… Everything's upside down again. I hate it. It has to stop. You said I was just an infatuation, a random distraction. Act like it. Stop pretending to care about me when I know you don't. Offering me your jacket… Asking me if I'm happy… Just… Stop it,'

She paused for a second before continuing.

'So please, I am not Roza to you. Not anymore,' she breathed heavily, desperately trying to control her tears.

She was piecing her life together, and then I turned up and turned her life upside down again. It only meant one thing to me – that she still cared, that I still had an effect on her. I couldn't believe that a part of me was actually rejoicing at this information.

But she was right. I said she was just a random distraction. I should really act like it. What point was there to my words if I kept trying to interact with her?

Then, there was that part of me that was tired of pretending not to care when I did, more than anything else, I cared. And I would never stop caring. I took a step towards her and she backed away again. I saw it coming, and yet it hurt nonetheless.

She briefly glanced up at me and as I saw the betrayal in her eyes, I felt something crack within me. I was past caring about consequences. I had to tell her the truth. I was tired of pretending, of living a lie. I couldn't let her go again without letting her know my reasons for leaving, without telling her how I truly felt. I wasn't sure what would happen after I told her, I wasn't even sure what I wanted to achieve. I just knew that I had to tell her.

'I do care about you. My heart shattered when yours did. Just because I chose to leave first, just because I did what we both knew would be inevitable, doesn't mean that I hurt any less than you did. I think about you, dream about you all the time. But someone needs to be realistic here. We're duty bound to our charges. We can never be bound to each other. I know how much Lissa means to you. What if one day, you need to choose? I don't want you to ever have to make that choice,'

I felt my left cheek sting painfully as I felt the full force of her slap. What the fuck?

'Stop using Lissa as an excuse for leaving me. You left me because you were ashamed of what we had. You left me because I could never give you a family, because Tasha was always going to be the better deal, because I was just… Some girl… Some _stupid_ girl,' she yelled at me, anger flashing dangerously in her eyes.

She was never just some girl!

'Roz-…' I started but she interrupted me.

'Please,' she said resignedly. I could almost see the energy drain out of her, 'Who I kiss, who I date, and even if I really wanted to, who I sleep with is no longer any of your business. For the remainder of your stay, _please_ do not embarrass yourself by interfering. I loved you back then. I loved you all this time while you were away. Now, I'm going to stop loving you,' she avoided my gaze, 'Maybe one day, I'll look back on what we had and smile at the memories. But for now, it is something I'd rather forget. You said you think about me, dream about me... You said that your heart broke. I'm sorry. I'm too busy trying to mend my own to care,'

And without waiting for a response, she turned around to head towards the villa, leaving me to watch her receding back for the second time that night. She was right. Whatever she does is not my business, I had no right to interfere, I had no right to stop her from kissing Adrian… I didn't even have the right to want to be a part of her life.

She loved me. It wasn't as if I didn't know, but to have her say it out loud again made my heart soar and break at the same time. I have never understood feelings, always choosing to hide them under a well practiced stoicism, but when Rose is involved, it seems like my emotions are all up in the air. Only she could evoke this infuriating, endless battle between reason and passion within me.

During our time in the Academy, I rarely confessed my love for her. It was always hinted, but seldom overtly articulated. I preferred to show her my devotion, rather than to tell her. I always told her she was special, that she was beautiful and amazing, that she means more to me than anyone else, but not that I loved her. Rose, on the other hand, was not only verbal but also physical with her displays of affection. _She was so passionate_, I thought wistfully as I started to regret not telling her more often how much I was falling for her. The only time I told her that I loved her was the day before her Graduation, the day before I had planned to leave her. If she sensed any melancholy in my tone, she didn't raise it. She glowed happily when I told her and it took every ounce of discipline within me to resist her temptations to bed her that night.

But now, it was too late and as my heart pounded painfully within me, I started to truly hate myself – not only for letting the best thing that had ever happened to me go, but mostly for hurting Rose so much. In light of everything she's said, what I once thought were noble reasons for leaving her now seemed pathetic. She was willing to fight everything and everyone to be with me, and yet, I willingly let her go. And now, it was too late.

_Serves you right_, I thought bitterly as I let myself relive the pain of losing Rose. She deserves someone much better than a weak bastard who was too much of a coward to fight for something he knew was special, once in a lifetime special. It was just too damn bad.

--

I finally returned to the villa after taking a long walk around the compound. The night was cold, but it was nothing compared to the hollow chill within me. Everyone had retired to bed and I was thankful that I didn't have to do any explaining that night. I trudged my way to the room I shared with Tasha. I paused briefly at Rose's closed bedroom door and sadness washed over me. I urged myself to keep walking. I made my choice a long time ago; now, I just need to find the resolve to stick to it.

'Hey you,' Tasha whispered softly as I tiptoed into the room. She was sitting on the bed with a night light on, reading Tolstoy's War and Peace. The thing with classical literature is that it's something you want to have said you've read, but something you don't actually want to read. She was halfway through it. Fair effort, considering she only started reading it about a month ago.

'Hey,' I whispered back as I reached into my luggage to grab my sleeping bag out, 'what are you doing up so late?'

'Waiting for you to get back,' she said, placing a bookmark in her book. She crossed her legs and leaned forward to look at me.

'Thanks, but you shouldn't have,' I mumbled as she handed me a pillow.

'So it's been Rose all along huh?' she cut to the chase, she was never one to beat around the bush.

I wasn't in the mood to talk so I ignored her, hoping that she would just drop it. I slid myself into my sleeping bag and turned my back towards her. Seconds later, I felt her foot nudge my back. Damn it.

'I think you owe me an explanation at least, Dimitri,' she said seriously as I turned around to face her. Talk about guilt tripping…

I sighed heavily, contemplating where to begin.

'Why did you leave her then?' she persisted.

'We're Guardians. It's just not possible,' I said in exasperation. What did people not get? Rose and I weren't Morois, we weren't free to love whoever we wanted, whenever we wanted.

'Anything's possible,' Tasha rolled her eyes at me.

'No, you don't understand. Guardians are solitary beings. Our sole purpose in life is to protect our charges. End of story. There's absolutely no room for feelings. Sticking around is just going to jeopardize her career,'

'And it didn't matter that she loves you and you love her?'

'I told you, there's no room for love in our world,' I said bitterly, 'Besides, it's complicated,'

'I heard you Dimitri, but for someone who prides himself on being a fighter, you sure aren't doing much fighting for what truly matters,'

'Tasha, it's for the better okay?' I was getting increasingly frustrated by her comments. What did she know about being a Guardian anyway? 'What's the point of being together when nothing is ever going to come out of it? We can't have a family, we can't live a normal life together, society will reject us, and we need to be devoted to our charges, not each other,'

'What's the point?' she said incredulously, 'What about love, Dimitri? What about just being together because you two are irrevocably in love with each other? Isn't that a reason enough? Don't you know how rare it is for love to come along in your world? So don't you think that when love does actually come your way, there's all the more reason to hold onto it? I don't doubt that being Guardians, the two of you will face challenges beyond that of a normal relationship, but don't you think it's worth fighting for?'

I sat in silence as I took her lecture in. Was it worth fighting for? Of course. Rose was wrong when she said that I wouldn't fight the whole system just to be with her. I wondered how long I could go on convincing myself that I'll be okay without her. She seemed fine without me, but each day I spend under the same roof as her, without her in my arms, was slowly driving me insane, gradually chipping away at this stiff pretense that I have so diligently tried to keep up.

'You're okay with it?' I said dumbly.

'Dimitri, of course I'm okay with it!' she cried, 'You're one of my dearest friends; I want you to be happy. What I'm not okay with is when you give away your happiness. It's more than obvious that you still love her. Why did you walk away? Seriously, what is wrong with you?'

'Sometimes I wonder too,'

'Well, why don't you do something about it now?'

I shook my head sadly, 'It's too late now,'

She looked at me quizzically and I told her what happened. She chewed on her bottom lip as she took in everything I said. She looked like she was thinking hard about something and after a few minutes of me trying to work out whether she was going to respond to what I had just told her, she said, 'She still has feelings for you,'

I rolled my eyes at her, 'Didn't you hear anything I just said?'

'Yeah,' she said, 'And I think she still has feelings for you,'

I scoffed at Tasha as I adjusted myself on my pillow. The conversation was getting tiring, and I wasn't in the mood for entertaining her idealistic views.

'If I know anything about matters of the heart, you can't just decide to stop having feelings for someone suddenly. She said she loved you all this time that you've been away. She said that she's now going to stop loving you. Maybe if you don't get off your ass and do something about it, next year when we visit, she'll probably have stopped loving you, but right now, at this moment, there's definitely something,' Tasha said sagely, 'Besides, if she doesn't love you, you wouldn't have affected her this much,'

'How do you know its love? You said feelings… That doesn't necessarily mean love. It can mean… Hate, or disappointment…' I retorted. I was trying to find excuses, I had to.

'Only one way to find out,' she grinned and I rolled my eyes at her.

'Think about it Dimka,' Tasha said, stifling a yawn, 'And if I were you, I'd be grasping at every opportunity to make her mine,'

'But what happens after the week is over…?'

'I'd be more worried about how to win her back,' Tasha smiled mysteriously at me before sliding under the covers, indicating that the conversation was nearly over.

'Hmm…' was all I said as Tasha flicked the night light off.

'Of course, I could be all wrong, and you don't love her at all… In which case, well… I'm sure Adrian would jump at the opportunity,' she whispered softly into the dark as she turned her back towards me. I thought I heard her chuckle, but I may have been wrong.

Adrian. Damn, she knew how to get to me.

I laid awake for much of the night, mulling over Tasha's words, wondering if she was right, if I still had a chance.

_Maybe,_ I finally concluded as I fell into a troubled sleep. _Maybe._

* * *

**What did you think? Is Dimitri forgiven, even just a little? :)**

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**Thanks again for all the lovely reviews! 3  
**


	6. Chapter 5

**Dear Readers, thank you so much for the lovely, lovely reviews. I'm glad everyone's enjoying the story so far. I will endeavour to not leave too much time in between updates. Here's the next chapter as promised and I hope you enjoy it as much as you did, the others. :)**

**The usual disclaimers apply, and without further delay, happy reading. x**

**Chapter 5**

**Rose's Point of View**

I finally woke up at midnight with a throbbing headache. I should really control my alcohol intake. I groaned and laid in bed, head under the covers. Last night's event flashed through my head and I groaned even more. I hope Lissa performed some kick ass compulsion on everyone, otherwise I didn't know how I was going to face them. There are perks to being best friends with a Spirit user.

I heard a knock on my door. 'Go away!' I groaned, wanting to be left alone, wanting the bed to swallow me up so I could escape my headache, my heartache and my embarrassment. Thankfully, whoever was knocking left me alone.

After lying in bed for another 15 minutes, I decided to drag myself out of it and face the music. I looked at my calendar. It was the 31st of December; it was New Year's Eve and Lissa and Christian's engagement party. I made my way into my ensuite bathroom and quickly showered before changing into clean clothes. I made my way downstairs and I wasn't surprised to see Lissa bustling about the kitchen as usual. A paper was spread out on the kitchen table and Christian and Dimitri were both poring over it.

'Feeling better?' Lissa asked testily and I nodded my response as I walked into the kitchen, my hair wrapped in a towel, taking in the smell of Lissa's famous pancakes.

'Looking beautiful as usual, Little Dhampir,' Adrian entered the kitchen behind me. I was wearing a white singlet with my favourite black laced bra. My bra was semi visible through the thin fabric of my singlet, not that I cared. I was used to flaunting my body. Besides, I was sure the citizens of New York appreciated it. I couldn't thank central heating enough – I hated being rugged up in layers of clothing.

I felt Dimitri's gaze linger on me. Fuck him; he doesn't know what he's missing. Adrian let out a low whistle and I winked at him.

'Stop being a cock tease Rose,' Christian joked.

'I didn't think you had one to tease' I shot back at him. Adrian laughed, Christian grinned and shook his head, whilst Dimitri kept staring. Seriously, he should just get over it. He should have known better for choosing Tasha over me anyway. I wondered if he ever thought of me in bed… _Stop it! What happened to moving on?_

'Liss, you overwork yourself in the kitchen,' I turned my attention to Lissa as she plated up the pancakes.

She grinned before walking towards me and whispered, 'I can see your bra'

'So?' I reached out for a pancake and stuffed it into my mouth. It was delicious and I was starving. Since when did Lissa have a problem with what I wore?

She nodded her head discreetly at Dimitri. His dark brown eyes were full of jealousy, lust and longing. I met his eyes and smiled bitterly. He seemed guilty and embarrassed and immediately looked away. Lust. He was more interested in my body than in my heart. I felt something bitter rise up in me but I swallowed it down. It was nearly the New Year, I will control my temper. I got up and went into my room to change into something slightly less revealing.

I changed into indigo blue skinny jeans and pulled on a white jumper, hoping that it would be good enough for Lissa. As I was pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I heard a knock on my door. 'It's open,' I yelled out.

I was surprised to see Tasha standing in the doorway, 'Rose…'

'Hi Tasha,' I forced my brightest smile at her.

'Rose… I want to talk to you,'

I froze. I was _so_ not in the mood for talking. I forced a smile at her again, reminding myself to be polite for Lissa, 'I'm not in the mood for talking, I'm starving. Let's go eat; I'm sure everyone's waiting for us,'

I walked quickly out of my room. 'Rose…' Tasha started again but I was already power walking towards the kitchen. I was not in the mood for a confrontation or any sorts. Besides, she won. She has Dimitri. What more does she want from me?

Breakfast passed by uneventfully and thankfully no one said anything about last night. Either Lissa compelled them or they knew better than to try to push any of Dimitri or my buttons. Soon it was time for me to give everyone their belated Christmas presents and vice versa. Adrian insisted that I opened his first. It was a small box, neatly wrapped with Christmas wrapping paper. I raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't think anything of it. 'If this is another diamond ring, I am going to throw it back in your face,' I warned. Adrian chuckled and Lissa shook her head, exasperated at my constant bravado.

I hated presents from Adrian, especially expensive ones. I always felt guilty if I accepted something from him, and not be able to return his feelings for me. I ripped the present paper open. It looked like a jewelry box and it looked like I was going to have to throw it back in Adrian's face. I opened the box reluctantly and a snowflake pendant sat in it, with an inconspicuous diamond set in the middle. It was beautiful. There was a note inside the box. I looked at Adrian, confused. _I know how much you hate roses. I hope you like snowflakes more. Merry Christmas. Love, Adrian. _I laughed.

'Thank you,' I breathed. The pendant was truly beautiful. It sparkled but not in an attention grabbing way, it looked expensive but not in a way that screamed thousands. For once, I didn't have a smart remark for Adrian.

Lissa gasped, 'It's beautiful! Oh, you've really outdone yourself this time Adrian,' through our bond, I could tell that she was really pushing for the Rose-Adrian union, especially after my showdown with Dimitri last night. She thought by being with Adrian, I'd be able to get over Dimitri quicker.

Maybe she's right, I thought to myself. I decided to keep the pendant. It was the first time I allowed myself to accept anything from Adrian. _This is a good start_, I told myself. Maybe I should really give him a chance. 'Thanks,' I said again, flashing him my brightest smile.

Adrian looked surprised when I accepted the gift but his expression slowly changed to joy when he realized that I was serious in keeping it. 'You're welcome,' he whispered and we shared a rare special moment together as our eyes met. I felt Lissa's encouragement pulse through our bond and for once, I didn't mind it.

'Okay, okay. Who's next?' Christian interrupted impatiently. He was always one to ruin moments. One by one, the presents were exchanged. There was a lot of laughing and screaming as we each unwrapped our presents, delighted at each gift. I tried my hardest to ignore Dimitri and Tasha the whole time. I didn't get them presents because they came at such short notice, but Tasha bought me some make up. Amongst the expensive blushers, mascaras and eyeliners that she bought me, I spotted an inconspicuous tube of lip gloss. The sight of it tugged painfully at my heart strings as it was the same one that Dimitri bought me on our first Guardian training outing at St. Vladimir's. A part of me hoped that Dimitri had picked it, as if it was some kind of secret code between the two of us, but a part of me knew that I was just being hopeful. It was probably just coincidence. I thanked Tasha and Dimitri for the present and quickly closed the box, willing myself not to think about the lip-gloss.

Finally, everyone finished unwrapping their present and Lissa decided that it would be a good time for her to go over the party plans again for the thousandth time. I saw Christian and Lissa kiss and felt a sudden pang of sadness. I decided to sneak outside for some fresh air. Tonight would be the night they officially announce their engagement. I was happy for Lissa, I truly was. But it meant that I would be seeing Tasha more often. And that meant that I would be seeing Dimitri more often. So much for keeping him out of my life, I sighed.

I heard the backdoor open and turned around to see Eddie, 'Hey, what are you doing out here?'

'Just wanted a smoke,' he grinned, lighting up his cigarette. I made a face at him. I hated smoking habits, and hated to see that Eddie had picked it up. Adrian was a bad influence. 'What are you doing out here?' he asked, taking a puff.

'Oh, just wanted some fresh air,' I avoided his gaze. I stared out at the snowy landscape. It was so quiet out here. We stood in silence for a while.

'You're dreading it aren't you?' Eddie said, breaking the silence. I looked at him, confused. He smiled, 'You're dreading becoming family with Tasha,'

'Am I seriously that obvious?' I was astounded. I thought I was good at hiding my feelings.

He shrugged, 'Tasha's a good woman Rose,'

I rolled my eyes, 'If you're trying to score points for her, quit it,'

He chuckled, 'You only feel this way about her because of Dimitri,'

_Damn._ I grunted, 'Yeah alright. She's okay. I'll get over it. She's good for him anyway. They can have a family, which makes me wonder why they're not already married. It's been more than a year,'

Eddie shrugged and put out his cigarette, 'Don't feel too bad. If you need to talk, you know where I am,'

I smiled at him, 'Thanks,'

'Come on, they're waiting for us,'

--

I avoided Dimitri and Tasha as much as possible for the rest of the day, choosing to work out in the gym and hang out with Adrian instead, much to his pleasure and surprise. I always wondered if my aura betrayed me, but Adrian never brought it up. I couldn't believe that Dimitri and Tasha were going to be around for another few days.

Soon, it was time to get ready for the party. Lissa's excitement was spilling over; I didn't blame her. How often does someone get engaged? I was damn excited for her too. With a guest list of 200 people, the party was bound to be a blast.

After a long shower that relaxed my muscles, I slipped into my dress. It was midnight blue and the bodice was a tube top that exposed my shoulders and hugged me perfectly. There were tiny sequins that snaked from my left bust all the way down to the bottom right side of my hem. It was simple but I had decided that I wouldn't go for something too loud. I had a matching facemask but one could easily tell it was me when I wore it. Adrian's snowflake pendant hung dangerously close to the valley between my breasts. It contrasted beautifully against the midnight blue of my dress. I smiled to myself as I secured my mask. Tonight's going to be fun.

'ROSE!' Lissa yelled for me, 'Hurry!'

'I'm coming!' I felt all eyes on me as I descended down the stairs, Dimitri's especially. It took all my effort to not look at him. Instead, I stared ahead at Adrian and smiled. He looked elated when he saw that I was wearing his pendant. He stepped forward and offered his arm to me.

I took it and grinned, 'You're looking pretty sharp yourself,'

--

The catering was spectacular and the music ranged from slow and romantic to fast and upbeat. There was free flow of alcohol all night so Adrian made sure he took advantage of that. I, having learned my lesson from the night before, stuck to water and the occasional punch every so often.

Lissa and Christian announced their engagement and they danced a slow dance together. I didn't know Christian could waltz but he had apparently taken lessons. As to-be best man and maid of honor, Eddie and I both gave speeches for the loved up couple – I decided that I would treat an appreciative audience to some embarrassing misadventures that Lissa and I had been involved in when we were young; not too embarrassing though as I was saving that for the wedding! Lissa tried to pretend that she was upset with me for sharing those stories, but failed miserably at it.

Throughout the night, so many men asked me to dance that I quickly became confused as to who was who. They were all dressed similarly – black or dark blue coats, dark 'Phantom of the Opera' type masks. I would hate to be a man; there would be no variety in fashion at all!

Closer to midnight, I took a break from all the waltzing and decided to get myself some fruit punch. I looked out towards the dance floor where Christian was spinning Lissa around. Lissa was laughing. I smiled, they looked good together and Lissa's joy was pulsating through. It must be nice to be engaged to the one you love.

It was then that I noticed a tall, dark haired man walking towards me. The lights were dim and I couldn't make out who he was. It couldn't be Adrian because he just told me he's going to ask Alberta for a dance. He thought it would be funny. I smirked at the thought. Alberta was on Guardian duty and was likely to snap his head off. The man stopped in front of me and smiled. There was something incredibly familiar about the smile. Dimitri? No, I mentally slapped myself. It couldn't be him. I would recognize him anywhere. He bowed low and offered his hand out to me, offering me to dance but avoiding eye contact. What an intriguing person. I stared at him, mesmerized. He was the same height and build as Dimitri. He even had the same hair colour but I couldn't make out his face. _Stop obsessing over Dimitri_, I told myself.

I gave him my hand and he spun me around. He didn't say a word as we danced, he just held me tight. Everytime I tried to look into his eyes, he would spin me around and once again, I would fall into the immense sense of protection he emitted. I felt like a princess. It was amazing. I never thought I would feel this way after Dimitri. I wondered who he was. He was strong. Strong and protective. I don't know how long we were dancing for but before I knew it, he was waltzing me towards the balcony.

'Wait. They're starting the countdown soon,' I protested, still not knowing who my handsome stranger was.

He smiled serenely; his eyes directed at a spot behind my head and without saying a word, led me outside. The cold air engulfed me but this mysterious man held onto me and led our dance. Despite the near zero temperatures, my skin was hot under his touch.

Then, I heard the emcee holler into the microphone, 'Ladies and gentlemen, we have ONE minute to midnight! To the New Year!'

This was followed by loud cheers. We continued to dance, despite the lack of music.

'30 seconds!'

'29,' the crowd hollered. A part of me wondered whether Lissa and Adrian were looking for me. I wondered whether Dimitri had his arms around Tasha, ready to kiss her at midnight. I quickly pushed that thought away.

'10'

'9'

'8'

'7'

'6'

_Is he really going to kiss me at midnight? _My heart thundered. _What is wrong with me?_ _I've never felt this flustered since Dimitri. Who was this man?_

'4'

'3'

'2'

'1'

'HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!' The emcee hollered and the ballroom erupted in cheers. My stranger tilted my head up and smiled at me. For the first time, I looked into his eyes and I gasped.

* * *

**I do apologize for leaving you guys on a bit of a cliffie - I know how frustrating it can be - but it seemed like the best place to end without making this chapter too long. On the other hand, the good news is that I will be updating the next chapter very soon and I'll make sure that it's a relatively long one. :)**

**Until next time, let me know what you think of the chapter and the story thus far. Also, if anyone has any ideas as to adventures the gang should have during their stay in Australia, please let me know. Have a good week everyone! bluestarberry, x**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hi guys, firstly, wow. Thanks for all the reviews. What a lovely surprise it was for me to see all those reviews in my email inbox! Secondly, damn. My cliffie wasn't so much of a cliffie after all. I must be rather predictable as you all thought it would be Dimitri! I absolutely adore him and can't imagine Rose being with anyone else. Anyway, I hope that my predictability means that I didn't put anyone through too much torture. :)**

**Before we start, I would just like to remind that this story is rated M for a reason. Also, this chapter may be a bit distressing to some (hint: near rape) so please don't continue reading if you think it will upset you.**

**Lastly, the usual disclaimers apply – VA and associated characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**Chapter 6**

**Rose's Point of View**

He took off his mask and lowered his lips to mine. I tried to step away but he held onto me. He kissed me hungrily and the moment his lips touched mine, it was electrical. I knew I was a goner. His tongue probed my mouth gently and my knees came close to buckling. His right hand tilted my chin gently upwards; his left rested on the small of my back. He sucked gently on my bottom lip and waves of ecstasy overtook my body. I sighed deeply with pleasure and decided to let myself go. I kissed him back and I felt him shudder in pleasure. It delighted me to know I had such an effect on him and my kisses grew bolder.

Hell, I wanted this more than anything. I'd forgotten how good he tasted, felt, smelt. The memories came rushing back to me as I lost myself in his kiss. I moaned softly as he flicked his tongue again.

The rest of the world seemed to fall away as I hungrily drank him in. His touch against my skin was like fire and I felt like my body ignite with his every touch. He ran his fingers through my hair and I let out a small moan of need. His coarse fingers brushed my shoulders gently and I pressed myself harder against him.

'Happy New Year, Roza,' Dimitri whispered as he pulled his lips away from mine. I whimpered softly as he broke away from our kiss, not wanting the spell to be broken.

Unfortunately, it was as though a veil had been lifted and I stared ahead at Dimitri in a mixture of surprise, yearning and disbelief. I touched my lips, wondering if I was in a dream, whether he had actually kissed me, 'Why… What just happened?'

I stared at him as I came to my senses. Dimitri just kissed me. The one man I wanted to forget forever just kissed me. The one man I had ever loved just kissed me. The man who had single handedly broken my heart only to come back to haunt me again just kissed me. _He must have feelings for you,_ a part of me reasoned, but another part of me clung onto his hurtful words and vowed to never be vulnerable for him ever again.

Suddenly, it was as if the spell was broken, the magic was gone and I was plummeting headfirst into reality. What the fuck was going on? I snapped out of my blissful haze and quickly became angry at him. Anger was an emotion I was becoming very acquainted with.

'Is this some kind of joke?' I snapped at him, 'Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? What part of that did you not understand? Shouldn't you be with Tasha?'

He looked stunned at my sudden change of mood.

'Happy fucking New Year to you too! I was supposed to be with Adrian,' I spat, going for overkill. I saw his yes turn dark with anger but I was far from caring. How dare he trick me like this. How dare he take advantage of me. What did he think I was? Some girl he can get with when he feels like and cast away when he doesn't?

'How dare you do this to me,' I yelled at him, tears threatening to spill over, before turning around and running back into the ballroom.

'No… Wait…' I heard him call out but I was already pushing my way through the crowd, trying to find Lissa.

I felt sick. And dirty. What the hell was he thinking? What the hell was _I _thinking? Why did I even kiss him back? _You wanted it_. I did, more than anything, but it wasn't right. I couldn't let him get to me again; I didn't think I could survive a second heartbreak. I wanted the holidays to be over so I wouldn't have to see Dimitri again, wouldn't have to be constantly torn between wanting to kiss him and punch him. Life was so much simpler when he wasn't around.

Just as I walked past the bar, a strong wave of nausea hit me and I keeled over, gagging ferociously. _Strigoi_. It was my first instinct and I fought past the queasiness to try and get to Lissa. _Now would be a good time for the bond to work both ways_. Then, I heard a loud crash and I spun around to see one of the large glass windows shatter. Another loud crash followed and the ballroom erupted chaotically.

Lissa, I thought, I have to get to Lissa. Where the hell was she?

I pushed purposefully through the crowds of screaming Morois, yelling out her name. I felt her anxiety through the bond and her call for help, _where are you Rose?_

Damn, why did there have to be so many people? There weren't so many when everyone was dancing, but now that there were people running in all directions screaming and pushing, I felt like I was caught in the middle of Moroi-Guardian hurricane.

'LISSA!' I yelled out. There was another crash and a cold, loud laugh. I turned around and standing on the window sill was a tall blonde Strigoi. His eyes flashed red as he licked his lips. The Guardians were all bracing themselves for a fight; the Morois were screaming and running chaotically.

'LISSA!' I screamed again frantically. _Backstage, Rose_.

I shoved myself through the screaming Moroi as I made my way towards the stage. Lissa was backstage with Christian, Adrian and Eddie. She was pale with fright. 'Lissa,' I cried with relief, moving to hug her, 'There are Strigoi everywhere. They must have somehow gotten word about this ball. Christian, take Lissa and Adrian home. Eddie, you stay with me and fight,'

Eddie's eyes flashed with anticipation. He cracked his knuckles eagerly.

'No way, I'm staying and fighting,' Adrian protested, grabbing my arm.

'So am I,' Christian growled.

'NO! You're all Royal Morois. Christian, you need to take Lissa somewhere safe. That's probably why they're here. They want Royal blood. By staying, you guys are just giving them what they want. GO!'

Lissa touched my arm, 'Rose…'

'Don't be scared Lissa, I'll be fine,' I smiled at her reassuringly and turning to the rest, 'GO!' There was no time to spare.

Christian finally caved and dragged Lissa away. Adrian lingered behind. 'Adrian, you need to go. It's too dangerous for you here,' I insisted impatiently. Adrian looked at me sadly before pulling me in for a kiss. He kissed me deeply and whispered fiercely, 'I know I'm not Dimitri, but I wish you would give me a chance to protect you,'

I stared at him. Did he see what happened on the balcony? Before I could say anything, he hugged me close and said, 'Be safe, Little Dhampir. I'll see you soon,' before fleeing with Christian and Lissa, his Guardians Peter and David in tow.

--

Fighting in a ball gown was not easy. I had long kicked off my heels – who fights in heels? Maybe I can train in them one day. There were a lot of Strigoi that night. I don't think I've ever seen that many Strigoi, they must have somehow managed to get themselves organized. Although, considering the amount of Royal blood available, it was no wonder that they chose to strike tonight. I should've known it was a bad idea to have so many Royal Morois under one roof. But, as many Strigoi there were, there were as many Guardians. Somehow, the wards must have been broken. _It must be those damned Humans_. Although, I couldn't think of how they found this remote resort. No doubt, there will be an investigation into it. I felt sorry for Alberta – as Lissa's official on-duty Guardian, and as the person responsible for Security tonight, she would receive the brunt of interrogation from Tatiana. And trust me, being interrogated by Tatiana is nearly as bad as fighting a room full of Strigoi.

I was probably meant to flee, seeing how I'm dressed in a ball gown and I'm not on duty (even Guardians need a break) but there was no way I was going to miss this. I knew Lissa would be safe with Christian and Adrian. The training they took together, however limited, to hone their skills over the year paid off. They were some of the most powerful Morois with offensive skills. Lissa would definitely be safe. Moreover, they had Peter and David with them. They were going to be okay.

Besides, no one crashes my best friend's engagement party.

I don't know how many Strigoi I stabbed that night. I probably earned another star. At this rate, I'd have no more neck room left to tattoo. I glanced around for Eddie. He was stabbing another Strigoi and didn't notice another was sneaking up on him. I ran as fast as I could and delivered my best flying kick, which hit the unsuspecting Strigoi squarely in his chest. I couldn't have Strigoi sneaking up on my friend. As I had the element of surprise on my side, I easily took him down by delivering a punch to his face, kneeing him where it would hurt most and then, stabbed my silver stake into his heart. I drove it in vehemently, possibly harder than I needed to but I was pissed off. I stabbed him again and blood poured out of him. I breathed heavily and I stared at his lifeless body as chaos reigned around me. By this time, my dress had ripped. The bottom was in tatters and cuts and bruises covered my arms and legs. It was freezing, I could see my breath in the cold air, but the fighting kept me warm.

'Thanks,' Eddie whispered hurriedly before rushing to find more Strigoi to kill. I stood up and wiped the blood from my hands. I didn't know whose blood it was then. It didn't matter. There were more Strigoi to kill. I scanned my room across the bloodied bodies and the battle scene in front of me. As I made my way towards a corner of the ballroom, I heard Alberta scream, 'Retreat!'

Instinctively, I turned around for a split second to find her. What a mistake. Dimitri's Lesson 201 – never be distracted; always be aware of your surroundings. I felt a cold hand grab my arm and found myself face to face with a black haired Strigoi.

His red eyes flashed as he looked at me in my torn dress, 'We've got a pretty one,'

I snatched my hand away and went in for a killer punch but he blocked it. He sniggered. I threw another punch at him which he easily dodged. I tried a roundhouse kick but he skidded aside and I let out a loud yell of frustration. He laughed loudly and rushed towards me, aiming a punch at my face. I barely dodged his fist. We continued to throw as many kicks and punches at each other; he easily dodged mine, whilst I struggled to avoid his, which cost me a few more bruises. He was fast, faster than the other Strigois I had fought that night. He must have just fed or he was older than he looked.

'RETREAT!' Alberta screamed again. Well, how the fuck was I supposed to retreat?

More Strigois started to surround me. Fuck. This was not looking good. My black haired Strigoi smirked, 'You'd be a tasty little snack you know,'

'Fuck you,' as I delivered another kick. Again, he easily blocked it. His Strigoi friends seemed amused at our fight and started cheering. I was surrounded by now and could hear the Guardians slowly retreat_. Fuck, fuck, fuck. _The blonde Strigoi stepped into the circle and before I could blink, was behind me, and had my arms locked behind me. I struggled against his grip but he held my arms tightly, his fingernails digging painfully into my skin.

He snarled at the black haired Strigoi, 'If you want her, hurry up and take her. Stop fooling around. We didn't get any of the Morois; I didn't get what I want,'

Silently, I breathed a sigh of relief. Lissa was safe. Okay, so I'm in a lot of trouble but at least Lissa was safe. The black haired Strigoi tied my hands behind me and gagged me. 'We're going to have a little fun, my Dhampir,' he said as he dragged his fangs gently across my neck. I gasped out of habit, anticipating the ecstasy rush that came with it.

He sniggered, 'Been a bit of a blood whore have you?'

I glared at him. The prick. I would've spat at him if it wasn't for my gag. 'Don't worry,' he said, 'There'll be plenty of that soon,'

Okay, if he just wanted to suck some blood from me for a bit, that was fine. I could handle that. In the meantime, I had to come up with a plan to escape. The blonde Strigoi slapped the black haired Strigoi across the head, 'Adam, hurry the fuck up. What do you want her for anyway? We need to go before they bring reinforcements,'

With that, the blonde Strigoi led the rest of his Strigoi friends through the central window into the darkness. What a great way to start the New Year. I glanced at the ballroom. There were bodies everywhere. Strigoi and Guardians. I couldn't make out who was who. I just hoped that Eddie was safe. And Dimitri. Oh God. Where was he? Was he alright?

Adam circled me, a menacing gleam sparkled in his eyes, 'I think we'll catch up with them later,'

I tried to give him my meanest stare, but there wasn't much malice I could command when I was bound and gagged. What the fuck was he going to do with me? He dragged me across the ballroom and sat me down next to the stage. I glared at him, daring him to touch me. He was amused. He lowered his fangs to my neck and dragged them across gently, not hard enough to puncture my skin. I shivered again in anticipation. I wondered if he was going to turn me into a Strigoi. I shuddered at the thought and tried to scream through my gag.

'No one's here to help you now, my sweet,' he laughed darkly.

Then, he looked down at my dress, which was now a poor excuse for one. The skirt had ripped and my thighs were exposed. He ran a finger up my leg and rested it close to my sex. I froze when I realized what was going to happen. Fear and horror flooded me as I instinctively tried to squeeze my legs together. This made him laugh even more, 'Do you think that's going to stop me?'

He dropped his gaze to my heaving breasts and ran another finger across them. I couldn't believe this. I was about to lose my virginity to a fucking Strigoi. Could things get any worse? I gritted my teeth and tried to calm myself. _This isn't the worst thing that can happen_, I tried to convince myself as I felt my stomach knot up. Being near the undead naturally made me nauseous; being raped by one was going to make me throw my stomach up.

He hitched my dress up and pressed his fingers on the flimsy cloth that was covering my sex. I screamed through the cloth and tried to wriggle away. He gripped my legs tightly and laughed at my struggles. As he pulled my panties aside, he licked his lips at the sight of me.

'You are one beautiful Dhampir. I didn't know Dhampirs this beautiful could fight too,'

He leaned in to look at me in the eye and I smashed my head against his forehead. He stumbled back a little. His red eyes flashed with anger, 'So you like to play hard to get eh?'

He slapped me hard and I fell from my sitting position onto the ground. I tasted blood in my mouth. I realized I was in an even more compromising position. He laughed coldly and picked me up easily from the ground, before throwing me halfway across the room. My head smashed into a table and I felt the effects of a concussion start to engulf me. _Maybe if I faint, I can pretend all this is not happening,_ I thought to myself as I laid on the ground in front of Adam, who had moved towards me.

He pulled his pants down and extracted his penis. Fear thudded through my heart as he approached. He held me down and pried my legs open. I squirmed and managed to kick his balls. He reeled back from the impact.

'You BITCH! Now you're really going to pay!' he roared, swiping his fingernails across my chest. I felt pain sting my chest as I tried to inch myself away from him. It was futile, I know, but I wasn't going down without a fight.

He moved quickly and lifted me up in the air again. He threw me across the room once more, and I felt my body slam into a wall. I was certain I felt a bone crack. He approached my slumped body menacingly. Laughing maniacally, he ripped my dress apart and pulled my panties off me. He used his legs to pin my legs apart and despite all the struggling, I wasn't able to pull away from him. He stuck a finger inside me and I clenched my teeth. Pain seared through me as I felt my sex naturally start to moisten. He started to pull his penis out of his pants again and I closed my eyes, waiting for the nightmare to begin. I screamed, cried, begged for him to let me go. Then, I heard a bloodcurdling scream and felt his weight on me.

I opened my eyes and saw Dimitri standing over Adam and I. He looked like a murderous Russian God. He rolled Adam off me and drove his stake into Adam's heart again. And again. And again. I watched in a hazy awe as he unleashed his fury on the already lifeless body of the Strigoi. When finally, Adam's chest had been hacked to pieces and blood was splattered all over Dimitri's face, Dimitri stopped and looked at me.

I was safe. He had rescued me. My Russian God had rescued me. I felt my eyes roll back. It was as if my brain knew I was going to be safe and it decided that it was time to shut down. Dimitri's arms were immediately around me. 'Rose,' he whispered urgently. My eyes fluttered open for a second, 'Roza!'

'Dimitri…' I started, before darkness overcame me.

* * *

**What do you think? I hope this chapter wasn't too distressing. I'm not great at writing fight scenes so please forgive me if they weren't fleshed out properly. Anyway, I didn't want to end on a cliffie (Rose is safe, phew) because I didn't think it was fair to do that to you guys again so soon. : ) **

**I promise happier days are coming (in the next 2 chapters) so look forward to that soon. In the meantime, write to me, I love reading your comments. And, have a good weekend everyone! x**


	8. Chapter 7

**Hi guys, I hope I didn't make you wait too long for this chapter. I loved all your reviews and the fact that so many of you are enjoying my story. I won't write too much so you guys can get straight to the story. The usual disclaimers apply and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 7**

**Rose's Point of View**

I woke up to the sound of angry whispers. A female voice was insisting on something but the male voice was resisting her. I slowly opened my eyes. Ouch, the moonlight streaming through the windows hurt my eyes. It was a full moon, and whilst the eerie glow usually wouldn't bother me, for some reason, my eyes were stinging. Some bastard had forgotten to shut the curtains, what the hell. I tried to move but was aching everywhere. I let out a small groan. That seemed to catch everyone's attention.

'Rose! You're awake!' my eyes focused on Lissa. Her face was etched with worry and I could feel the anxiety and relief tumble off her through our bond.

'Where am I?' I asked groggily. My head throbbed as I attempted to sit up. Lissa quickly helped me. Dimitri was immediately by my side too. I stared at him as he helped prop me up. Why was he here? His handsome face looked pained and serious. He seemed to avoid making eye contact so I turned back to Lissa.

'You're in the hospital,' Lissa sobbed, 'Oh Rose, you should've left with us. I shouldn't have let you stay back and fight,'

What was she talking about?

And then, the memories of New Years Eve flooded back into my mind. I remembered Dimitri kissing me, then the Strigoi attack, then Adam… Oh my God. Adam. Did he…? Fear gripped my heart as the realization of the violation sank in. I felt my skin crawl. I wanted a shower. I wanted to scrub myself raw. Colour must have drained from my face because Lissa was soon shaking me, 'Rose, are you okay?'

'What… Did… Lissa…' I stammered, looking up at her, dreading the worst. I tried to recall whether it happened, but by some self-protective mechanism, my brain must have shut it out. I couldn't remember what Adam did to me. Tears started spilling over, 'Did… Did it happen?' I had to know.

Lissa looked like she was about to cry. She shook her head furiously as she blinked back her tears, 'No! We just got the all clear from the doctor earlier today. It didn't happen, oh thank God, it didn't happen,'

I breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly feeling like all energy had been drained from me. I was okay. He didn't rape me. I broke down again. This time, out of relief, joy and the fact that I couldn't believe my luck. Damn, I was emotional. Lissa held me as I sobbed, 'What happened?'

'Dimitri went back for you,' Lissa said as she brushed my hair away from my eyes, 'He found you just before it was too late. You fainted just as he finished killing the Strigoi. He brought you back. Oh Rose, I was hysterical. I thought you were dead. Your dress… It was in tatters. I tried to heal you Rose, I tried but Dimitri kept stopping me,' she glared accusingly at him, 'You've been unconscious for just over 24 hours and Dimitri and I have kept a constant watch over you,'

I looked at him. He was avoiding my eyes again. 'Thank you,' I whispered softly, with all sincerity. I owed him so much. He came back for me. That's what Lissa said. He came back for me. 'Why?' I needed to know why he came back, why he went against Alberta's orders, if his reasons were what I hoped they were. I'm not the first Guardian to be taken down in battle. Orders were orders. You didn't go back for the fallen.

His head snapped around and for the first time since I woke up, he looked at me. It was more a glare. His handsome features were twisted into a nasty scowl.

'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING TAKING ON STRIGOI LIKE THAT?' he bellowed.

I stared at him, suddenly angry. How dare he question my ability to fight Strigoi. I was as worthy of a Guardian for Lissa as anyone would ever be.

'Hey! I've killed Strigoi before. I can handle myself!'

'Oh? What part of RETREAT did you not understand?'

'HOW THE FUCK WAS I SUPPOSED TO RETREAT WHEN I COULDN'T GET AWAY?'

'STOP IT!' Lissa screamed, shoving Dimitri away from me. He glared at her. Wow, he's grown some balls. He would never glare at a Princess before.

'You!' she poked a finger at Dimitri's chest, 'You need to calm down. She just woke up and you want to scream the house down?! What the hell are you thinking?'

'And you!' she looked at me, 'You need to get some rest so stop yelling. This isn't good for you,'

'YOU SHOULD WEAR ONE OF THOSE MEDIEVAL UNDERWEARS, SO I CAN LOCK IT UP AND YOU WON'T EVER FIND YOURSELF IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION AGAIN!' he bellowed at me, clearly ignoring Lissa's warning. I stared at him. I'd never seen him lose his temper like this. And what was his problem with my underwear?

Lissa was clearly pissed off now. She dragged him – yes, petite Lissa dragging a hulk of a man; it would've been comical if the situation wasn't so serious and I wasn't so angry at him – out of the room, all the while saying, 'You obviously need to get some rest. You've barely slept since you came back,'

She slammed the door shut and I heard her muffled pleas for him to get some rest.

'Lissa… How can I sleep when… Rose. She could've been…' he wasn't bellowing but he was obviously struggling with volume control. I heard Lissa try to shush him, something about it being a hospital and all.

'Lissa, I need to be around,' his voice was strained. I could only catch muffled parts of their conversation after that, something about staying and not disturbing me and me being fragile at the moment. Pft. I'm not fragile, I rolled my eyes and attempted to swing myself out of bed. Pain wracked through me and I froze. I've been through pain before, but never this much. I eased myself out of bed and towards the door. Every muscle ached with each step I took. I opened the door to see Lissa and Dimitri still arguing in the hallway.

'Okay, fine. You can – ' Lissa started when Dimitri saw me.

'YOU NEED TO GET BACK INTO BED!' he yelled. Lissa turned around immediately.

'Since when do I take orders from you?' I shot back cockily.

'SINCE ABOUT NOW!' he started towards me, but Lissa managed to just hold him back. Lissa looked pleadingly at me. _Rose, please._ I sighed resignedly and started to retreat back to my room, but not before shooting Dimitri one last murderous glare. Bastard. How dare he yell at me. Yeah okay, he saved my life, but seriously. What's with the yelling?

I eased myself back into bed. I inspected myself – my arms and legs were bruised and cut. The pain mustn't have registered in me when I was fighting Strigoi. I let my mind wander back to the dark haired Strigoi – Adam. I'll never forget his face. I shuddered involuntarily at the thought of how close I was to dying, to being raped. Raped. That word made me feel dirty inside again. I may not have been raped, but the memory of his touch still lingered on. Again, I felt a sudden need to claw at my skin, to scrub to myself clean. I hugged my knees to myself and started to rock. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the memory. I told myself to focus on the disinfected smell of hospital sheets, on the shuffling of feet just outside my room, on the moon shining through the window.

Suddenly, the door burst open and my mum bustled in, shouting, 'ROSE!'

She was beside me in a second, cradling me, stroking my hair, sobbing, 'Oh I'm so glad you're okay… Lissa – Lissa just called to tell me you're awake. We've been so worried!'

I smiled weakly at her, 'I'm okay mum,'

'Oh my baby… I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you,'

'Mum… It's not your fault. We didn't know it was going to happen. I'm okay. Really. I promise,' I tried to sound reassuring. My mum sobbed harder. I've never seen her break down like this. It was quite disconcerting. Everyone's going crazy around me – Dimitri losing his temper, Lissa being so assertive, and now my mum, the legendary Janine Hathaway, sobbing into my hair. I saw Lissa enter the room quietly. I flashed her a small smile and she returned it.

'Where's dad?' I asked my mum.

'He's parking the car,' Lissa answered, 'Everyone's here to see you but I can't let them in all at once. Doctor's orders too. So I've decided to take matters into my own hands. Only small groups allowed in each time. Dimitri has forbidden me to heal you with my Spirit, so I'm going to heal you the natural way – making sure you have lots of rest,'

My mum turned around and smiled gratefully at Lissa, 'Thank you so much for looking after her for me,'

'Rose has always defended me, always made sure I was safe, always protected me. It's my turn to do the same. She's my family too,' Lissa choked. It made me teary. I have the best friend in the entire world. Lissa saw my tears and she immediately pulled herself together, 'Okay, okay. No strong emotions. You need to rest,'

I laughed and cried at the same time, 'Lissa. I've been resting for ages. I'm sure I can get out of hospital today,'

'NO,' both Lissa and my mum exclaimed. I laughed, surrendering, 'Okay, okay, whatever you say,'

Mum stayed a bit longer before leaving. She said she didn't want to keep me to herself when there were so many people waiting to see me outside. Dad came in after her and looked like he was going to murder the hospital bed. His fists were clenched tight and he growled, 'If Dimitri hadn't already hacked that bastard to pieces, I would've made it my life's mission to hunt him down and dismember him,'

Wow. I live amongst violent men. 'Dad, it's okay. He's dead,' I smiled at him. It seems like I'll be doing a lot of comforting. He hugged me tightly and said gruffly, 'No one hurts my daughter without hell to pay,'

I smiled and hugged him back, 'I know Dad, I know'

Adrian, Christian, Eddie and Lissa came in next. I was so glad to see Eddie unharmed, despite a few cuts on his arm. Adrian rushed to my bed and I had never seen him so serious, 'I should have stayed with you,'

I had a feeling I was doomed to hear that statement, or derivatives of it, many more times over the course of the night. I smiled at him, 'You had to leave. Your life was worth more than mine,' I shrugged. It was a fact of life that I had come to accept. They came first. Morois were worth more than Dhampirs. We were replaceable. They weren't.

'Don't ever say that!' Adrian, Lissa and Christian shouted in unison. I looked at them all and started laughing. They were stunned for a second before joining me in laughter.

'Thanks guys,' I smiled, 'But really. I'm glad you're all safe. I heard one of the Strigois say that they didn't manage to capture any Morois. I was so relieved to hear that,'

'I can't believe you were still thinking of us when you were captured!' Lissa exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief, 'Don't you know anything about self-preservation?'

'Hey, I thought I was managing quite well until Alberta started screaming for everyone to retreat. I was caught off guard by a Strigoi. He was fast – faster than any Strigoi I'd ever met and before I knew it, I was surrounded by Strigoi. I couldn't escape,' I shuddered at the memory.

Adrian rubbed my back gently. Lissa's eyes widened and I could feel her fear pulsate through our bond.

'I guess, in a way, it was a good thing that the other Strigoi weren't interested in you. Otherwise…' Lissa shuddered at the thought of the possibility of them holding me captive, 'Dimitri… He might not have gotten to you in time otherwise,' she said quietly. We all fell silent as we all contemplated that possibility. My skin started to crawl again. Subconsciously, I started to claw at myself.

'Stop it,' Lissa grabbed onto my arms, 'Stop it,'

I looked at her and her crushing feelings of helplessness, fear and worry flooded me. 'You're safe now. We're not leaving you,' she was trying to be strong but I could sense her sorrow.

'This is disgusting,' Adrian suddenly exclaimed, standing up and in his frustration, started to pace the room, 'Dhampirs should not have to give up their lives for us. We can fight for ourselves. We have magic for fuck's sake. We could have easily outnumbered the Strigoi if all Morois practiced offensive magic and stayed and fought alongside Guardians. I am not letting this happen again,'

'I agree,' Lissa said softly, 'Too often, I've let Rose take the frontline and all I've ever done was run away. I want to learn how to use the magic. I want to learn offensive magic,'

'No, you ca-,' I started, concerned about her ability to control her powers. Healing already commanded an incredible amount of darkness in Lissa; I didn't want to contemplate the shadows that would engulf Lissa if she learned offensive magic.

'I will,' Lissa said with steely determination. She looked at me squarely in the eyes, 'Don't worry Rose. I know you're worried about the darkness. I'll learn to control it. There has to be a way. I'm sure someone has done it before. Australia holds the answer,'

'That's my girl,' Christian smiled at Lissa. I knew he was always pro offensive magic but isn't he aware of the blackness that comes with Spirit? 'I agree. It's about time Morois fought beside Guardians. Let them try and take us then!'

Eddie nodded, 'I agree. If Morois learned to use their magic to fight Strigoi, along with Guardians, they would be of no match to us,'

'Then it's set!' Adrian declared before returning to my side, 'I don't care what my aunt says, we're practicing offensive magic. The sooner we get to Australia, the quicker we'll learn more about it'. Then, turning to me, he said, 'I was so worried about you – I couldn't even walk your dreams to make sure you were okay,'

I smiled at him, 'I must have been out cold,'

'We thought you were dead,' Eddie offered, 'When Alberta called everyone to retreat, I was searching for you. There were so many Guardians. I finally found Dimitri and asked if he saw you. He didn't and when we realized that you weren't with one of us, Dimitri insisted on going back for you. Alberta and Stan held him back, saying it was too dangerous and that there were too many Strigoi. He was shouting for you and it took a few more Guardians to restrain him and drag him back to our villa, where they had quickly set up wards again. I don't think I've ever seen him lose control like that. He managed to sneak out when the other Guardians were tending to each other's wounds. I saw him and he told me he was going to go after you. That must be when he found you,'

Eddie stared out the window before continuing his story, 'When he brought you back, you were bruised everywhere. You were bleeding but worse of all, you had barely anything on,'

I winced at the memory. Adrian squeezed my hand in support. I silently thanked him for not cracking a joke. 'Lissa tried to heal you,' Christian continued, 'But Belikov stopped her, saying that there wouldn't be anyone to take away her darkness and that if you woke up, you wouldn't be strong enough to handle it, that it would crush you, especially because of how close you came to being… You know. He said you would have your own demons to battle. It wasn't easy trying to stop Lissa, I've never seen her so hysterical and upset,' he put a protective arm around her.

'We took you to the hospital and… Belikov wouldn't leave your side,' Adrian said darkly.

'He told us what happened,' Lissa said. I could tell she was struggling to keep her tears under control, 'I couldn't stop crying for you. We didn't know if … you know … if it happened. But we know now that it didn't. I was so relieved. Dimitri and I received the news this morning, and we couldn't stop crying,'

The idea of Dimitri crying shocked me. It took me a while to process everything – he came back for me, he was hysterical, he wouldn't leave my side, he cried… I meant a lot to him. I felt a tiny ray of hope light up in me but I quickly squashed it. It came as no surprise that I meant something to him. Yet, he still chose to be with Tasha. _He's being sensible_, I told myself. We would never have a future together anyway. He can have children with Tasha, and one day, maybe… I'll be able to have children with someone else. That way, it's for the greater good. There will be more Guardians. What's a few broken hearts when the greater good is at stake? A familiar ache started in my heart.

Lissa squeezed my hand. Through our bond, I knew that she knew what I was thinking. 'Come, we need to give her some rest,' Lissa started to usher everyone out of my room. She turned to me and said, 'I'm allowing one last visitor. And that's only because he saved you. I think you've had too much excitement for one day already. Everyone else will have to wait until tomorrow,'

My heart raced at the thought of seeing Dimitri again. He might yell at me again… As if reading my mind, Lissa reassured, 'I've given him specific instructions not to yell,'

I smiled at her. 'Why does he get time alone with her?' Adrian protested.

'Because he saved her,' Lissa said firmly and shoved him out of the door. I smiled at this new Lissa. I was usually the assertive, bossy one and look at me now, I'm bed ridden. It was a disgrace.

'Lissa,' I called out before she shut the door. She turned to look at me, 'Lissa, I'm sorry. I'll train harder to be a better Guardian for you,'

Lissa had a look of disbelief, 'Have I ever been hurt? Have I not always ended up safe? I cannot ask for a better Guardian Rose, so stop that. On the other hand, even Guardians need Guardian Angels,'

'But… What if next time…'

'No, Rose. You're more than just my Guardian. You're my best friend. Next time, we'll fight side by side,' Lissa looked determined. I could feel her excitement and anticipation. I let it go – for now. 'I'll go get him,' Lissa smiled and I felt my heart leap in anticipation.

I was staring out of the window when Dimitri walked in. I turned to look at him and smiled, deciding to extend an olive branch, 'Hey,'

He grunted a reply and sat in a chair beside my bed. He stared out the window, seemingly lost in his thoughts. He looked like he hadn't shaved or slept much. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was disheveled. He looked cute and without knowing what overcame me, I reached out to ruffle his hair. His head snapped around to look at me, possibly shocked at the sudden gesture. His eyes were troubled and pained. I smiled meekly at him and shrugged, trying to indicate that I was sorry for touching him and I didn't know what overcame me. He continued to stare at me. Was this guy going to talk or what?

'Cat got your tongue?' I asked cheekily, trying to lighten the mood. He shot me a look. Sheesh, someone was moody. A minute passed and he remained silent so I decided to break it, 'Thanks for coming back for me. Eddie told me what happened and I'm very grateful for what you did. You didn't have to risk your life for me but you did. I definitely owe you one…'

I took a deep breath, 'Lissa also told me how you've watched me for over 24 hours. Thank you for being so concerned about me. However… Please do not think that I'm any less of a Guardian for Lissa. I would never let her get hurt; I've always made sure she was safe. I'll train harder; I'll be a better Guardian. I'm sorry… If you felt that I let you down,' I didn't know why I felt like I had to justify myself to my former mentor. I felt like I had disappointed him. First losing concentration when I sparred with him a few days ago, and now, this.

'You should have left with Lissa,' he finally spoke, gruffly, still avoiding eye contact, 'You should always know where you charge is. Something could have happened to her and then what? Where would you be?'

I knew he was right but I also knew that Lissa would have been safe, 'Lissa was with Christian and Adrian. Adrian's Guardians could have easily protected her,'

'Three Royal Morois, amongst them, the last of the Dragomirs, and the potential heir to the throne… That would have been a Strigoi's dream catch,' he said vehemently, 'You never leave their side,'

'What about you? You stayed!' I was angry at him for criticizing my decisions. I knew that it was dangerous to leave Lissa, Adrian and Christian together. If something went wrong, it would all have been over.

'Tasha was there,' he said softly. I felt like I had been slapped in the face. How could I have forgotten? Tasha chose to practice offensive magic. I kept quiet and glared out of the window. We sat in silence again for another minute or two.

'I said I was sorry if I let you down,' I spat out, trying not to cry. I focused on a distant tree branch and willed myself to keep my emotions in check.

'Yeah, well. Try not to do it again,' he said angrily, confirming my fears. Angry tears threatened to spill over but I blinked them away furiously. I refused to let him see me cry again, I refused to let him think I was weak. I hated that I always sought his approval. I hated that his praise would send me soaring and his disapproval broke me.

Any hopes I had of him confessing his feelings for me shattered. He kissed me on New Year's Eve possibly because he was drunk. He rescued me possibly because Lissa's heart would break if anything happened to me and since she's going to be Tasha's niece-in-law, it was probably a favour for Tasha. _Again Hathaway_, I scolded myself. _You've let him fool you again._ I challenged anyone to be more pathetic than I was.

The nervous excitement I felt before quickly dissipated. Sure, I was more than grateful that he saved my life, but at that moment, I wanted nothing more than to be far away from him – far enough to not see him, hear him, smell him, feel him. His presence served as a reminder of how out of reach he was to me, how distant and unattainable. It was agonizing to think that he only kissed me because he was drunk. Lissa said he cried, but I was pretty sure then that it was merely out of relief and concern for an old acquaintance, a previous student – nothing more, nothing less.

'I'm tired,' I announced, easing my head onto the pillow, turning my back to him. Pain wracked through me, but the physical pain couldn't compare to the pain inside my heart. I was seriously messed up. And yet, lying there, all I could think of was how devastatingly close he was to me. I could feel his eyes bore into my back, as if mentally undressing me. The thought gave me shivers in places of my body that I never thought was possible. And at the same time, the same thought plunged me into the hells of my own misery.

I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, making sure my breathing was controlled so he would suspect nothing. A single tear drop fell on my pillow. I heard him stand up.

'Rest well,' he said, before walking out of the room. I then let the tears fall freely. I was alive and well, but I had never felt less so.

**Dimitri's Point of View**

I stood up from the chair and stared at Rose's back. My heart was aching in so many places I had stopped keeping count. I saw her try to suppress a shudder. I wasn't sure if she was wincing from the physical pain or whether she was trying to control a sob. She had looked at me expectantly when I walked in. I knew she was waiting for me to explain myself, explain why I kissed, why I went back for her. The answer should be more than obvious, I'm sure she knew why; she was just waiting for me to confirm it.

For a minute, I imagined myself holding her, telling her that I would lay my life down to protect her any day. For a second, I wished I was kissing her, professing my love for her. Then, the memories of New Years Eve would engulf me and I would once again be reminded of Alex's mission. Foolishly, I had led her out on the balcony, wanting to tell her how much I loved her, but now I realize that proclaiming my love for Rose would only put her in danger; it would make her an instant target. I wasn't sure how, but Alex was always watching me. Somehow, he knew my every move. By sheer luck, he decided to show no interest in Rose last night, leaving her with Adam. I must have played my part well, for I had successfully convinced Alex that Rose was nothing to me. _He wouldn't have left her alone otherwise. _I shuddered at the thought as I relived how close I came to losing her.

I was brought back to the present by the sound of Rose's controlled breathing. I knew she was trying not to cry. My heart strings tugged painfully and I felt like breaking down myself so I said, 'Rest well,' instead. Once again, I had to pretend that I didn't care. Once again, there was nothing I could do about the dull ache within my chest.

As long as she was alive and safe, it didn't matter if our hearts were broken. If staying away from her would keep her safe, it didn't matter if I was doomed to be forever empty inside. _Her heart may be broken, but hearts mend,_ I tried to convince myself. _A broken heart is better than a broken soul._

* * *

**A little mysterious I know, but I felt that I had to write Dimitri's PoV, just to redeem him a little. All will be explained soon. I hope this chapter tugged at your heartstrings a little. I know the past few chapters have been a little on the sad/heavy side, but that makes their reunion sweeter no? I hope you're still enjoying it anyway.  
I hope the pace at which everything is progressing is okay with you guys. If you'd like things to speed up/slow down, please let me know. At the moment, I'm trying to merge chapters together (you get to read longer chapters – yay) so I get them to Australia asap. Until my next upload, take care. x**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hi guys, so sorry about the delayed update. This is the longest chapter I've posted to date (11 pages on my MSWord) so I hope it more than makes up for the delay. Thanks everyone for the reviews, I know it's taking a while for Dimitri and Rose to get together, but they're nearly there. Besides, I think if they go through a couple of challenges/misunderstandings, it makes their reunion sweeter. Anyway, the usual disclaimers apply and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 8**

**Rose's Point of View**

I was discharged the next day, after the doctors had cleared all routine medical checks. Dimitri always hovered around the entrance of my room, as if standing guard but I never got a chance to speak to him alone again. It was probably for the better. I didn't know what I would say to him anyway. We would nod and grunt our responses at each other if there was any need for us to communicate and I sought solace and comfort in Lissa and my parents.

Adrian brought bouquets of fresh flowers and tended to my every need. I often felt suffocated by his constant attention, but it may have been because I was guilt-ridden for not being able to return his feelings and sentiments.

The hospital gardens served as a place for Lissa and I to reconnect, as we strolled through them together. We were waiting for the doctors to process the paperwork so I could be officially discharged. Lissa told me that ever since the attack, Mia had been spending more and more time with Eddie. I told her my suspicions and she agreed that they must be hooking up secretly behind our backs.

'Why would he do that though?' I asked, confused, 'It's not like its forbidden or anything,'

Lissa shrugged as she contemplated the possibilities, 'Maybe because we're going to Australia?'

'But Mia is more than welcome to come along,'

Lissa shrugged and as we chatted, I briefly told her about what happened with Dimitri and she couldn't understand why one minute he was rushing to my rescue, the next he was brushing me off like I didn't mean a thing to him. I offered her my hypotheses but she still seemed skeptical. I didn't want to talk about it so Lissa dropped it after sensing resistance from me. We continued to walk in silence and I made a mental note to do this more often with Lissa. I often got caught up in my Guardian duties that I sometimes would forget to take time off to reconnect with her emotionally.

'I'm going to spend the next holiday period with my parents again,' I said, finally breaking the silence, 'I hope that's not when your wedding is. I'd love for you to come along but Christian might not allow it,'

She looked at me, amused. 'I'm thinking of a June wedding, but we haven't decided yet. And I would love to holiday with you. I'm sure Christian wouldn't mind. He can go spend it with Ta-…' she gasped and brought her hands to her mouth, looking at me anxiously.

I looked at her and laughed, 'It's okay. You can say her name. I'm not that fragile, I promise,'

'Rose!' we heard a familiar voice call out. We turned around to see Adrian jogging towards us. Lissa frowned, annoyed at the intrusion.

'We're having a little girl time,' Lissa said, her hands on her hips. I laughed. I don't think I would ever get used to an assertive Lissa. Adrian stuck his tongue out at her and grabbed my arm.

'Hey!' Lissa called out, 'Be careful with her!'

Adrian rolled his eyes at her, 'She's not made of glass. She's a badass Guardian! Besides, you always have her to yourself. It's my turn,'

Lissa glared at him but finally conceded. I laughed, 'Don't I have any say in this?'

Adrian had a funny look on his face. I smiled at him, amused. Then he leaned in and kissed me softly. I blinked my eyes in shock. The feel of his lips on mine felt surprisingly nice. There was no hint of tobacco or alcohol, which I was silently grateful for. I felt his gentle tenderness and was taken aback. I often associated Adrian with sexual conquests and hedonistic pleasures. I kissed him back and could almost feel him relax in relief. I closed my eyes and decided to enjoy the moment. It didn't have the same rippling effect that Dimitri's kisses sent through me, but it was comfortable and nice, something I could definitely get used to.

'I'll always keep you safe, Little Dhampir,' Adrian whispered hoarsely, barely breaking away from my lips. I wasn't sure how he planned on keeping me safe, it would be more a matter of me keeping him safe, but I decided to let him have his masculine moment.

I looked into his eyes and realized that I was never going to be another conquest for him; I held a special place in his heart. Then, through the corner of my eyes, I saw something move and I briefly turned to glance at it. It was Dimitri. I saw a slight flicker of anger flash across his eyes before he returned to being stoically unreadable. I quickly shifted my gaze and brought it back to look at Adrian. I smiled at him and kissed him again, only this time, harder.

'Oh guys!' Lissa groaned. I broke away from Adrian's lips and gave him a cheeky wink.

He grinned delightfully, 'If that's just a taste of what's to come, I sure can't wait for the rest!'

'It's time for Rose to go back,' Dimitri announced flatly as he approached us. I nodded, avoiding his eyes and walked back to the main building of the hospital. Adrian reached out for my hands and held them protectively. I smiled at him and squeezed his hands. Maybe I will be happy with Adrian. I may not experience the same intense pleasure when I kiss him, may not feel the same exuberant joy, but maybe that's not love. Maybe that kind of love isn't sustainable. Maybe that kind of love can only lead to heartbreak. Adrian was handsome in his own boyish way. He makes me laugh, he cares about me and I enjoy a deep friendship with him. Maybe that will be enough for a relationship to work. A little voice screamed that I was fooling myself, but I tried to strangle it as much as possible. I couldn't afford not to.

--

I was back in my shed, lifting weights, punching bags and running laps the day after I was discharged. The exercise cleared my head and the nagging voice in my head that kept telling me that what I feel for Adrian isn't love only shuts up when I'm exercising. Lissa was dismayed at my decision. She insisted that I should be resting, and seemed to believe that I will collapse under excessive physical exertion.

'I'll show you what excessive physical exertion is,' Adrian said to me. I merely smiled at him, trying hard not to let my annoyance show. Dimitri looked like he was going to take him out. It was times like this that the nagging voice in my head would pipe up again. _If Dimitri said that, you'd be dragging him to your room already!_ Shut up, I urged myself as my heart squeezed painfully; Dimitri will never see the insides of my room.

Other times, I felt like I was able to connect with Adrian on a deeper level. Yesterday, we sat in the garden and talked about Moroi politics, debated about Dhampir rights and discussed our respective training regimes. I talked about wanting to be the best Guardian for Lissa; he talked about his frustration at his Aunt Tatiana, who refused to take him seriously. These were the times when I was convinced that it would work.

Since being discharged, I haven't eaten at the villa. It was easier to go out for lunch or dinner with Adrian. As such, I was able to easily avoid seeing Dimitri and Tasha. It was a cowardly way out, but I wasn't quite sure how else to handle the situation. I once saw her give Dimitri a brief kiss on the cheek. It looked friendly instead of romantic, but I still felt murderous. I took it out on the punching bags that day. Dimitri caught my eye then, and I quickly shifted my gaze away. It was awkward. Our relationship had been reduced to an awkward avoidance, always feeling embarrassed if one of us caught the other doing something intimate with their partners. Legitimate partners, may I add.

My parents had to leave the day that I was discharged from hospital. Mum had to go back to guarding her charge, and Dad had some 'important business' that had to be attended to immediately. I rolled my eyes at this, there was always something more important than me, but to their credit, they fussed over me and made sure that I was okay before leaving. It wasn't much, but it was a slight improvement. They even made Dimitri promise that he would keep an extra eye out for me. Parents can be so embarrassing when they have no clue what's going on. After the rescue, Mum had been treating Dimitri like he was the Angel Gabriel. I don't think Dimitri could ever do any wrong in her eyes after that. To make things worse for me, she kept telling me how lucky I was to have him look after me like that. It sure didn't help my case at all.

I stretched in my bed. _3 more days until we leave for Australia,_ I thought as I yawned. The golden rays of the sun setting streamed through my window. It was only 3.00 p.m. Adrian, Lissa and the other Morois were probably still be asleep. I decided to head out for a run. The view would be spectacular, and I missed the sun. I don't get to see much of the sun as Morois tend to avoid the sunlight. I was secretly sad for Lissa and Adrian as they rarely got to experience the beauty or the warmth of the sun. _There are downsides to being Moroi too, _I smiled to myself and laced up my running shoes.

I tiptoed downstairs, so as to not wake anyone and headed to the kitchen for a glass of milk before starting my run. I stopped at the kitchen door when I saw Dimitri standing at the kitchen sink, gazing out into the sunset. He looked sad and wistful, possibly lost in his memories. I can only hope they were memories of me. I stood there watching him for a while, he seemed oblivious to me.

_So much for always being on guard,_ I smirked inwardly.

He was so handsome and the sun rays tinged his dark hair a slight orange. My heart began to thump again but I willed it to be quiet. I felt an overwhelming urge to hold him, to feel his arms around me again, to run my fingers through his hair. It was a shame we were both Dhampirs.

'See something you like?' he asked suddenly, jolting me out of my thoughts, echoing the same words I had said to him a while ago, when we were back in the Academy. He turned around to smile at me. He was devastatingly handsome. He could have any woman with that smile, 'You've been watching me,'

I blushed deeply. I should have known better – Dimitri always knows who's around him. 'I uh… just came down for some milk,' I said hurriedly, lunging for the fridge, avoiding his gaze.

'You're up early,' he commented, turning back to the sun. I grunted my reply as I poured the milk into a glass. I quickly downed it and headed towards the door.

'Are you going for a run?' he called after me. I grunted my reply again.

'It's getting dark, it may be dangerous. I'll come with you,' he announced, striding towards me. I suddenly felt annoyed, 'I can look after myself. I go running in the dark all the time,'

'I'm coming with you,' he said stubbornly, heading towards the door. I sighed in defeat, might as well start running.

We ran in silence, concentrating on placing one foot in front of the other, on steadying our breathing. We ran towards the sun, its warmth briefly kissing our faces. The colours of twilight exploded in the sky in front of us as we neared the end of our course. It was breathtaking and magical. The snow capped mountains were flooded with a dance of purple, orange and pink. We had just run 15 km, and stopped at the edge of the mountain, just in time to see the winter sun set behind the mountains. We stood in silence, watching the show nature was putting on for us.

'It's one of the rare things that give me peace,' Dimitri said softly. I turned to look at him and he smiled at me, tenderly.

'It's beautiful,' I offered.

'Not as beautiful as you,' he replied. His eyes were dancing when I looked into them. I found myself drowning in them and the rest of the world faded away. Maybe it was the magic of nature, maybe it was the isolation of the mountain, or maybe he was just tired of denying himself. Whatever it was, he closed the distance between us and leaned down to kiss me. A jolt of electricity went through me and I kissed him back hungrily as he wrapped his arms around me. I ran my fingers through his hair and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him towards me. He groaned as he nipped at my bottom lip and I sank into blissful oblivion. It felt right. It felt so right and I wanted more. We broke apart for a second and looked into each other's eyes before he lowered his lips onto my neck, his teeth slowly grazing it. I gasped. It felt better than any Moroi bite and I pressed myself against him. I wanted him to take me then and there, on the snow, on the edge of the mountain. His lips moved up to nip gently at my ears. I melted in his arms as my heart soared.

He pulled away slowly, still holding on to me. 'Enough,' he said gruffly, looking at me with passion in his eyes. I searched his eyes, silently begging him not to stop. It looked like he was going to break for a minute, but he shook his head and released me from his grasp. I suddenly felt cold.

'We better head back, they're probably looking for us,' he shifted his eyes to the ground and he started to run.

'Hey!' I called out after him, 'What the fuck just happened?'

I was confused and hurt. One minute he was hot and ready, the next he was cold and impassioned. What was he trying to do to me? He turned around and looked at me stiffly, 'I'm sorry,'

'You're sorry?' I barked bitterly, 'And would you care to explain because I'm a little lost here!'

He sighed and walked towards me. 'You're beautiful Rose. You're the most beautiful person I've ever met. But you're not just beautiful. You're strong and fiercely loyal. You're kind and compassionate. You ooze sex appeal but you carry yourself with grace. You're intelligent and quick with words. You're fiery, you're passionate, you're everything that I want. I dream of you, of holding you, of kissing you, of touching you. But most of all, I dream of running with you, training with you, talking to you, laughing with you,'

I looked at him, not believing what I just heard. My heart thumped faster with each word he said. It was the closest he came to telling me he loved me since he barged into my life again. I knew he always had trouble confessing his feelings and saying 'I love you' was just not his style and though I needed to hear those words from him, I knew that for now, this was more than enough.

'I dream of the same things,' I barely whispered in response.

He smiled sadly at me and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, 'I wish you were mine,'

I looked at him and my heart squeezed with longing. _Why can't I be?_ I wanted to ask but I already knew the answer.

Suddenly, I had a crazy idea. I didn't care about consequences, or who I hurt anymore. I wanted to be with him. I've been denied this for way too long. So I said, 'I'll see you tomorrow at 3.00 p.m.,' as I smiled broadly at him.

He looked confused for a second, before understanding what I was trying to say. He looked concerned for a while, but then returned my broad smile, 'I hope you're up for it,'

'Always,' I said cheerily and we began our jog back to the house. I could've floated back.

--

Our secret rendezvous happened the next morning again and I came back feeling on top of the world. The day went by in a dreamy blur for me and it took extra effort to monitor myself, making sure that I wasn't grinning foolishly at inappropriate times. A small voice inside me told me that what Dimitri and I were doing was the same as what we did when we were back in the Academy – stolen kisses, secret meetings, hidden glances at each other. _He lusts for you, but will never love you. If he loves you, why doesn't he come out and be with you?_ I pushed that thought away. I was soaring on the feel of his lips on mine. _He's leaving soon_. Another voice told me. I blocked it out. I didn't want to think about the future. If living in the present meant that I could feel his touch again, I'd happily live from day to day, not caring what tomorrow brought.

I avoided Adrian that day; his kisses just couldn't compare, and guilt wracked through me every time I thought about him. It was something I didn't want to deal with yet. I had been content with him, until Dimitri kissed me again. From that moment, I knew I belonged with him. I was selfish. But I didn't care anymore. I was always taught that they came first. I had been selfless all my life. For once, I wanted to be selfish. And, more than anything, Dimitri was what I wanted.

I mostly kept to my room, hiding behind the guise of recuperating from the last Strigoi attack. I willed the next morning to come quickly as I daydreamed about Dimitri's dashing smile and passionate kisses. If Lissa noticed my odd behavior, she didn't say anything, although I was certain there was a hint of curiosity that came through the bond. On the morning of our second meeting, by the time we reached the house, Lissa was already making breakfast. She raised an eyebrow at me, but when I scowled at her, she dropped any questions she may have previously had.

It wasn't that I didn't have questions for Dimitri. I had many – why does he constantly oscillate between yelling and scowling at me, and kissing and holding me; why is he kissing me when he's clearly with Tasha; what does he want from me; was I just a temporary infatuation; what will happen when he leaves… But I wasn't ready to face the answers. What if I was just a temporary infatuation? What if he truly loves Tasha but merely lusts for me? Each time fear crept into my heart, I quickly beat it away, deciding to ask him those questions the next day. Only, the next day, I would lose myself wholly to his touch, and asking questions would only ruin the moment.

--

It was Thursday evening, exactly two days until Dimitri would walk out of my life once again. I hardly slept a wink throughout the day and 3.00 p.m. couldn't have approached any slower. As usual, I tiptoed downstairs quietly into the kitchen and there was my Russian God, his face turned towards the sun again. I smiled to myself, 'Hello sunshine,'

He turned and smiled back at me, 'Good evening, Roza.' My heart fluttered and I ached to be in his arms. We headed out silently, and commenced our run to the edge of the mountain. The cool air was refreshing and every now and then, I would catch a brief wisp of his aftershave. I inhaled it deeply, as if willing myself to etch it into my memory. I was in so deep I couldn't pull myself back out even if I wanted to. I sneaked a glance at him. His eyes were focused on the path in front of us and his muscles tensed and relaxed as he ran through the crisp evening air. The golden rays of the sun made him look tanner than he was. I would never tire of this view.

'Shouldn't you be concentrating on running?' he turned, arching an eyebrow at me, smiling that knowing smile of his. I blushed and picked up my pace, racing in front of him. I heard him chuckle behind me.

We finally reached the end of our run and we silently gazed out at the sun setting in the distance, both lost in our own thoughts.

'Have you ever wondered how different it would be if we were both Moroi?' Dimitri said, breaking the silence. He continued to gaze out at the setting sun. He didn't sound bitter, but there was a hint of wistfulness in his voice. I knew he was talking about us.

I sighed, 'I've stopped wondering about things like that. There's no point,'

He chuckled softly, 'Ah, Rose, sometimes I think you've grown up faster than I have,'

We lapsed back into a comfortable silence. My mind swirled with all the questions I wanted to ask him but every time I opened my mouth to say something, the knot in my stomach grew larger.

'I'm going to miss you when you leave,' I finally said softly, my heart already aching at the thought of saying goodbye. He looked at me with a funny expression on his sharp features.

He pulled me in for a hug and sighed deeply as he held me, 'I'm going to miss you too, more than you know,'

My heart dropped. He was leaving. I didn't expect that he would stay, after all, the week was coming to a close and I have to follow Lissa to Australia, whilst Dimitri… Well, he had to return to Tasha. But now, the impending date of his departure loomed heavily over us and I was surprised at how disappointed I felt. _Of course he's leaving_, I chided myself, _it's not like you just found out_.

He tugged at my ponytail and released my hair from its confines. A soft wind blew through it and he buried his face in it. I rested my cheek on his chest and listened to his heart beat. We were both mourning for each other, for having found love and for having to let it go again. _At least we have today and the next two days_, I told myself, trying to bring some comfort to my breaking heart.

I felt his lips on my neck and I welcomed the wave of ecstasy that pulsed through me. This time though, it was different. It was as if he was trying to take my sorrow away from me. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, giving him more access. I felt his tongue gently trail down my neck, and I shuddered blissfully from it, closing my eyes to savour the moment fully. I dug my fingers lightly into his back and he gently bit my neck. I sighed with pleasure and brought my lips to his. Our tongues battled as we kissed, occasionally sucking and biting, teasing and succumbing. His hands snaked under my t-shirt and I gasped in surprise. His hands were cold against my hot skin, but I quickly got used to it. I burned under his touch, willing his hands to move further up my shirt by kissing him harder. He groaned and mumbled something incomprehensible in Russian before moving his hands closer to my breasts.

My heart was beating rapidly, as though I had just finished a marathon. I arched my body towards him and he pressed himself against me. I felt him between my legs and that excited me further. We were stumbling about, kissing each other blindly, lost in our passions. He pushed me against a tree and lifted me up slightly. I wrapped my legs around him instinctively and pulled him closer to my body. He groaned again and sneaked his fingers under my sports bra. I nearly stopped breathing as his fingers grazed a nipple. I was aching for him everywhere and pressed myself harder against him. A few pieces of clothing separated us, but I could feel him distinctly. I moaned in ecstasy as he continued to pinch my nipples and kiss my neck.

'Dimitri…' I pleaded, 'Please…'

'Please what, Roza?' he whispered hoarsely into my ear, flicking his tongue at it, sending waves of pleasure through me again.

'I need to have you,'

He took my shirt and bra off. The cold air pinched at my nipples, making them more sensitive to his touch.

'You're so beautiful, Roza,' he murmured, before covering my nipples with his wet mouth. I gasped with pleasure and grabbed onto his hair. His tongue flicked at the hard nub of my right nipple and I felt like I was going to die from the intense pleasure that ensued. I lowered myself to the ground as I grabbed at his shirt, yanking it off, wanting to give him the same amount of pleasure he was giving me. I brought my mouth to his nipples and he groaned loudly, running his fingers gently across my back, sending shivers down my spine. I smiled at my ability to tease him and gently grazed my teeth against his erect nipple.

'Roza,' his voice was thick with passion, 'You're going to be the end of me,'

Suddenly, we heard a rustle in the shrubs and instinctively, we jumped away from each other, grabbing at our discarded clothes. A rabbit hopped out and looked at us curiously. I let out a nervous laugh, but the mood had already gone. I was painfully aware of feeling guilty and on edge, like how I felt when we would steal kisses from each other back in the Academy. I was 20 and a full-fledged Guardian, and yet I felt like I was 17 again, and having an illicit relationship with my mentor. Well, I was still having an illicit relationship. I swallowed the bitterness that was starting to rise in my throat and quickly pulled on my clothes. Dimitri looked at me, confused as he too, pulled his shirt back on.

'Rose…' he started, reaching out to touch my arm, 'What's wrong?'

I shook my head fiercely, refusing to look at him, wanting to desperately cling onto the blind passion that had engulfed the both of us not long before.

He spun me around and tilted my chin so he looked into my eyes, 'Something is wrong and you're not telling me,'

I looked at him sorrowfully. 'Something is wrong,' I choked, 'but is there anything you can do about it?'

'I can try,' he said tentatively, as if already sensing what I was going to tell him.

'You're leaving in two days. Why are we doing this?' I blurted out. My eyes searched his for answers. He looked pained and conflicted. 'I keep telling myself that I'll just be content with meeting up with you every day at 3 in the evening for a run, until you have to go. I keep telling myself that that's enough. But it's not. It will never be enough,' I continued.

I took in a deep breath and stared out at the mountains behind him, 'You're being unfaithful to Tasha; and I to Adrian,' I saw him flinch at the mention of Adrian, 'I told myself that I could live with the guilt, that as long as I got to be in your arms again, I didn't care what happened to anyone. But…'

'I can't,' I continued sadly, focusing on the mountains darkening in the distance, 'Adrian's my friend and I care about him. And you and Tasha are so happy together, you can have a family with her,'

'If we were happy, I wouldn't be out here with you, would I?' he said bitterly.

I stared at him in horror. 'If you're not happy, shouldn't you be working things out with her? Instead of seeking comfort in another woman's arms?' I was shaking by now. This was worse than being a temporary infatuation, 'Why does everything we do always have to feel so wrong?'

But I didn't wait to hear his answer as I was hit with a wave of intense nausea. _Strigoi!_ I turned around frantically, my eyes darting around at the nearby trees to seek them out. Dimitri's voice droned out and all I heard was my heart pumping. Another wave of nausea hit me, this time harder. They're approaching, I thought as I keeled over. I felt Dimitri wrap his arms around me, possibly thinking that I was extremely distressed.

I turned to face him and whispered frantically, 'Strigoi! They're here,'

I saw his eyes darken, 'How do yo-?'

It was too late. We heard their screeching laughter and we turned to face them. Dimitri shoved me behind him and pulled out his silver stake. Instinctively, I pulled mine out too. I was annoyed at Dimitri for being so over-protective but this wasn't the time to bring it up. We had some serious Strigoi ass to kick.

'Ah, I love the smell of lovebirds in the evening!' the blonde Strigoi said, as he stepped out of the trees. It was the same one from New Year's Eve. Dimitri and I both took our stance as more Strigoi stepped out of the foliage.

'D, I don't know what you're playing at. I never thought you were the type to be unfaithful, but maybe I was wrong,' the blonde Strigoi smirked, 'I suppose when you're looking at a fine piece of meat like her… Well, I'm not blaming you. I think Adam might have some taste after all,' referring to my assaulter. A chuckle rippled through the other Strigois – there were 4 of them, but I wasn't sure if more were coming.

A bitter taste crept into my mouth when he referred to Dimitri being unfaithful. I was the third person and I felt like I was going to be sick. Then, I heard Dimitri let out a low growl and his knuckles cracked as he gripped his stake tighter, 'Let's dance, buttercup,'

I felt a slight movement beside me, only to find that it was Dimitri rushing forward to stake the blonde Strigoi. _Wow, he's fast_, I admired silently as I advanced to tackle the others. I landed a punch to one of the Strigoi's face and I felt his cheekbone crack underneath my fist. I silently congratulated myself before delivering a kick to his face, breaking his nose. A second Strigoi lunged at me and I barely managed to dodge him. I delivered a turning kick to his face and as he stumbled backwards, Dimitri plunged his silver stake into the Strigoi's heart. I loved team work, especially if my team was Dimitri.

I turned back to the other Strigoi whose face I had previously disfigured. He snarled menacingly at me and I narrowed my eyes at him. As he lunged at me, I quickly side stepped him, but unfortunately, the ground was slippery and I slipped. As I fell, the Strigoi grabbed at me and threw me at a tree. My newly healed wounds burned but I quickly stood up and dodged him as he tried to reach for me again. I skidded towards him and at a speed that surprised myself, elbowed him in the right eye. He let out a scream and I took the opportunity to throw in a few more punches before staking him to the ground. His body let out one final shudder as I held the stake steadily in place. Content that he was dead, I turned to Dimitri who was still fighting the blonde Strigoi, whilst another lay dead on the ground.

_3 dead, 1 to go_, I thought to myself, approaching Dimitri. If he wasn't fighting a Strigoi, and this was just a sparring competition, I would have marveled at their skills. The blonde Strigoi blocked each move that Dimitri threw at him and Dimitri in turn easily avoided each advance that the blonde Strigoi made. They looked like they were dancing. But it was time to end this game. I took my position beside Dimitri and the blonde Strigoi, seeing that he was outnumbered, quickly jumped into a tree and flipped away. I started towards him, but Dimitri stopped me, 'Let him go,'

'But we can get him!' I cried, struggling against Dimitri's hold on my arms.

'No, I'm not risking your life,'

'Dimitri! It's the two of us against the one,' I was exasperated. I didn't have a reputation amongst Guardians for nothing. And Dimitri was the best Guardian out there, better than my mum, I secretly thought, although I would never tell her that.

'No, he's going to get reinforcements; we need to get back to the villa where the wards can shield us. We should have done our runs within the wards,'

I thought about it for a second and then agreed with him. If indeed he was going for reinforcements, we wouldn't be able to face them. No matter how good I thought we were, the Strigoi were fast and strong. Their heightened senses gave them a strong edge in our battles. Dimitri grabbed at my arm and we sped back to the villa. I was grateful for keeping up with my training.

Dimitri was still holding onto my hand as we burst into the house. Everyone was up and at the breakfast table. They stared at us – disheveled, clothes in disarray, part of my right sleeve was torn, panting. We looked like we had just been fighting Strigoi. That or we had just made passionate love. I wished it was the latter. Lissa looked at us suspiciously, Adrian stared at Dimitri angrily, and Tasha raised an eyebrow at us.

I squeezed my hand out of Dimitri's grip. He looked at me as if wanting to say something but decided against it. 'Strigoi,' he announced, breathless, 'They attacked us, there may be more,'

A collective gasp went around the room. Lissa's eyes widened with fear and the Guardians scraped back their chairs and moved towards the doorway. Adrian leaped out of his seat and headed towards me.

'What happened? Where?' Alberta demanded from Dimitri and I.

'We went out for a run before. I couldn't sleep,' I felt like I had to justify why I was alone with Dimitri so early in the evening, 'At the end of the our run, we were just… Catching our breaths when I was hit by an incredible wave of nausea. I knew the Strigoi were near,'

Dimitri had a funny look on his face when I told Alberta that we were just catching our breaths but he continued smoothly, 'There were 4 of them. Alex was there,' Alberta's eyes widened.

'Who's Alex?' I asked, confused why he was the only one that Dimitri had singled out.

'The blonde one,' Dimitri informed, he seemed to want to say more but stopped himself. I looked at him curiously, but decided to drop it.

'What did he want? There were no Morois around with you,' Alberta paced, wracking her brains for a reason. Dimitri frowned in contemplation. Alberta had a point. Strigois usually attacked when there were Morois, especially Royal Morois.

'They want you,' Dimitri said stiffly, looking at me. I stared back at him, mouth opened wide in shock. Why me? Adrian held my hand protectively, as if he could protect me like that. 'Why me?' I echoed my thoughts.

'They probably think that to be able to get through to Lissa, they'd have to take you down first,' Dimitri explained. I turned to look at Lissa as her fear was emanating through our bond. Christian had a protective arm around her. I walked towards her and said as reassuringly as possible, 'I won't let them hurt you,'

'No… But they may hurt you,'

I shook my head, 'Don't worry about me. If they ever get me, remember to not turn back and to keep running,'

She stared at me with tears in her eyes, 'It's me they want Rose, not you. Why should I get to be safe anymore than you do?' Because you come first, I wanted to say but I knew that it would make her feel worse. I was grateful that the bond did not work both ways. I avoided her gaze and caught Dimitri's instead. He knew what I was thinking and there was anguish in his eyes.

'Don't worry Lissa, I'll be fine,' I turned back to reassure her, 'I'm a badass Guardian remember?'

She managed to crack a small smile at me and I decided that for the meantime, that was enough from her. I needed to get cleaned up and change out of my torn clothes. The other Guardians decided to surround the lodge and keep a constant eye out for Strigoi.

'You're hurt,' Adrian said, looking at a gash on my arm. Dimitri turned to look too. It was bleeding but between the fighting and our haste to make it back to the lodge before more Strigoi arrived, I had managed to ignore it. Dimitri started towards me but stopped when Adrian said, 'Come, let me dress it,'

He pulled me towards the first aid kit in the kitchen and Lissa moved to heal me, but Adrian stopped her. He looked at her pointedly and she seemed to understand what he was trying to say – to let him dress my wounds, it was the least he could do as he wasn't there to help me.

I winced as he applied the disinfectant. He cleaned the wound gently, looking at me anxiously each time I winced in pain. 'Okay, I've cleaned the wound. You go shower and when you come back down, I'll dress it for you,' he said tenderly.

I smiled at him, 'Thanks Adrian, you're the best,'

He grinned back at me and hugged me tightly, 'I'm so glad you're okay,' before kissing me briefly on my lips. It felt more like a breath that had gently passed my lips, so light I barely felt it. I blushed and quickly stole a glance at Dimitri. He looked like he was scowling at Adrian, but his eyes were directed at the wall behind him, as if it was Strigoi.

'Of course I'm okay, I'm badass Guardian Hathaway,' I said cheekily.

Adrian laughed, sparkle returning to his eyes, 'I'd like to see how badass you can get,' he ended with a wink and I rolled my eyes at him, laughing. I stood up and headed towards the stairs, 'I'm going to get cleaned up,' Adrian's eyes sparkled again and I knew what he was thinking. I laughed and shook my head again, 'I'll see you soon, _Dr._ Ivashkov,'

'Anytime, Little Dhampir,' he called out and from the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri wear an angry scowl as he stared out of a window.

* * *

**What did you think of the chapter? Please write to me!  
I'm not sure when I can update next, but will try to do so as soon as possible. I hope this chapter holds you over until then. :) Happy Easter everyone!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Gee, I've had a long break from writing! Very, very sorry about the delay, but recently, everyone would've been caught up in reading Spirit Bound! I can't wait for Last Sacrifice to finally be out~ no more waiting haha! Let's hope its the fairytale we all hope for. In other news, I've been receiving lots of notices from fanfiction telling me that people have been adding my story to their alert list - thanks! I hope that means I'll get more reviews too..? heh!**

**Anyway, in the meantime, whilst we wait for the DxR fairytale to happen in the real VA series, here's my version of the fairytale. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Chapter 9**

**Rose's Point of View**

The next day, I didn't expect our evening runs to continue now that we know Strigoi are hunting us. Instead of leaving tomorrow, Tatiana wanted us to leave tonight, at midnight. Two Strigoi attacks in such a short period of time meant that the villa was no longer a safe place for us to be. Whilst they didn't manage to break the wards around the villa, they somehow managed to get past the wards at the New Years Eve ball. When Alberta broke the news to us, I wasn't surprised. She looked like she had aged in the space of the few days since the first attack. I told you Tatiana's inquisition would take a heavy toll on anyone.

It was reasonable for Tatiana to want her nephew and Lissa back at the Royal Court as soon as possible, or at least as far away from where we were as possible. Whilst she didn't care much about Christian, she also knew better than to risk a Royal Moroi life. I experienced a mix of utter disappointment and a brief sense of relief when I heard the news. To me, it meant cutting my time with Dimitri short, but it also meant that I was able to stop feeling guilty and even, hopefully, maybe, move on from him. Wishful thinking, but that's all I have at the moment.

Out of habit - okay I was harbouring some hope too - I tiptoed to the kitchen at 4.00 p.m. expecting not to see him there. But there he was, in the same position as he was every other morning, hovering over the kitchen sink, gazing out at the late afternoon sun. He turned and smiled at me as I walked in. The air was heavy with our unsaid feelings, wants, wishes and desires.

'It's unwise to go for a run today,' he stated the obvious soberly. I nodded, disappointed because I was about to be robbed of another day with him.

'Who's Alex?' I asked, wanting to avoid talking about our future.

Dimitri sighed and looked back out the window. He was silent for a few minutes, 'He was my best friend,'

I gasped at this disclosure. A thousand thoughts ran through my head – was that why he decided to let Alex go? How did he turn? Was Dimitri with him? What happened? Did Dimitri try to free his soul?

'We went to school together in Russia. We were the best in our class. When we sparred, sometimes, he would win; sometimes, I would. Naturally, we both dreamed of being the best Guardians we could ever be,' Dimitri said, as if reading my thoughts. He smiled wistfully at the memory, 'He had an incredible sense of humour. We were both polar opposites, he was blonde, I was dark. He was always superb with the ladies, and I was always a little socially awkward,'

Somehow, I could not imagine Dimitri not scoring with the ladies.

'When we graduated, we got assigned to our Morois – I was with Zeklos, and he went with Zeklos' cousin. It was the perfect arrangement. We trained together, fought side by side, and watched each other's back whilst protecting our Morois,' he paused for a second, 'Then he fell in love. She was a Dhampir, dedicated, strong, passionate. She was guarding Zeklos with me. Initially, I was jealous of Sasha, because I had never seen Alex so in tune with someone else aside from me. But I was happy for them. I admired her dedication to her work and to Alex. She was easy to get along with and shared the same sense of humour as Alex did. We quickly became close and she often turned to me for a shoulder to cry on when Alex was being obnoxious. Because it was so taboo, they kept it secret for a very long time. Only I knew about it, and I helped coordinate a lot of their meetings,'

The story Dimitri was telling me sounded incredibly familiar and I was keen to know more. I wondered if Dimitri realized the irony in Alex's story.

'Anyway, their relationship went on for some time until one day, Sasha's dad came and told her that he had gambled her hand away. Her dad had gambled away all his money and property and when he didn't have anything more to gamble, he gambled his only daughter's hand in marriage. He lost, obviously. To an old, balding Moroi who had an exquisite taste for Russian women,'

Dimitri must have seen the look of disgust on my face as I anticipated what would happen, because he said, 'I know it may be hard for you comprehend, Rose. Especially because you're such a strong-willed person and would never let anyone bend you into doing anything you wouldn't want but Sasha was different. She only had her dad, and whilst what he did was despicable, she had to forgive him. He was her only family. Naturally, Alex balked at the idea and begged her to elope with him, told her they would go live with the Humans. But she couldn't just leave her dad. He would be thrown into jail. Anyway, she left Alex, he was devastated but to be fair, so was she. I can't count the number of times I've seen him lose himself in alcohol after that, the number of nights he would come staggering to my door, yelling out for her. Naturally, he tried to forget her by being with other girls, only to break their hearts after,'

'It was a few weeks after she had left when he started to turn bitter, to question the inequality of the Moroi-Dhampir arrangement. Was I alarmed? Of course I was. But it wasn't like we never discussed it before. We always had philosophical debates and discussions about it, but it was never this serious, not the way Alex started to talk about it. One night, he started talking about how ironic it was that the only way he and Sasha would ever be together was if they were both Strigoi. I was alarmed, but he laughed it off. Though concerned, I never thought too much about it and Alex never brought it up again. Until Zeklos died by his hand,'

My eyes were wide with horror. The thought of crossing over to becoming Strigoi had never once crossed my mind, despite my intense longing to be with Dimitri. I tried to imagine what it was like for Dimitri – to lose not only his Moroi charge, but also to lose his best friend to the darkness. I realized that it was another reason stopping him from being with me. How can he, when he's tortured with memories of his best friend turning Strigoi for love?

'I don't know why Zeklos. It still puzzles me to this day. Alex probably started to become jealous of the growing friendship between Zeklos and I. I was at home when I received the news, Victoria was very sick and I had to see her. It was hard to process the news but I had to contact Sasha – I knew that was where Alex would be heading next. When I got to hers, the Moroi she was married to was dead and Alex had left me a note. He must have known that was where I would go. He told me Sasha had converted and that I should join them. We can be a family again, he wrote,' Dimitri paused and I silently processed everything that he had told me. His eyes gazed off in the distance, shining with conflict, regret and sorrow. I reached out to hold his hand and squeezed it gently. He looked down at our intertwined fingers and smiled sadly, 'When he isn't hunting Moroi, he's hunting me,'

My eyes widened with realization, 'So … today … he was after… you?'

He nodded. 'But… you said they were after Lissa,' I said, confused at what was actually happening.

'There were a number of attacks he staged on Tasha, thinking that was the only way to get me to turn – if Tasha turned, Alex hoped that I would turn too. For love, apparently. Like him,'

My heart squeezed painfully at what he was saying. He loved Tasha, but it still didn't answer my question. 'But…' he started, before pausing again. I looked at him expectantly, 'But, now he knows it's you,' his voice was barely audible. I thought I misheard him, but he repeated himself, looking into my eyes, 'He knows it's you. He's after you but I couldn't tell everyone that, so I told them he's after Lissa…,'

'How did you…'

He pulled a letter out of his jeans pocket and opened it. The handwriting was hurried but neat.

_D, after all this time, you're still in love with her? Sasha said that you'd always love her; but I thought otherwise, especially after seeing how you left the Academy with that Moroi chick. I could never understand why you did that. I always thought getting with a Moroi was stupid, what do they know about our lives? They're pampered idiots who don't know how good they have it to have Dhampirs dedicate their lives to them. Anyway, looks like Sasha was right, not that I mind. By the way, good taste D. Beautiful Guardians are rare. I approve. I saw the way you look at her. Stop denying yourself. You're doing it only because she's a Dhampir. Join us, and you won't ever have to worry about all that Dhampir-Moroi bullshit anymore. We'll be one big happy family, including your Roza._

_Sasha and I miss you. Alex_

I blushed after I finished reading the note. It revealed more about Dimitri's feelings towards me than he had ever overtly expressed. Trepidation started to fill me as I thought about a group of Strigoi hunting me down, but I quickly calmed myself. I've killed Strigoi before. Alex tried to take us today, but failed. I had nothing to worry about.

'I received it yesterday, shortly after we returned,' Dimitri said, as I handed him back the letter, 'Somehow, he's been tracking me and he sends me notes all the time. I'm so sorry. I should've known better than to agree to go running with you. I shouldn't have risked your life and your safety,'

I looked at him angrily, 'I can handle myself against Strigoi – it's not the first time I've fought them. Stop patronizing me. I may not be as fast and as good as you are, but hell; I think I am pretty damn close,'

'You _are_ good, Rose,' Dimitri said as he leaned towards me, 'You're fast becoming one of the best Guardians I've ever had the good fortune to come across, to train. But, it would kill me, if you were ever hurt in any way,'

I looked into his eyes, understanding what he was trying to say, 'That's why he's coming after me,'

He nodded.

'That's another reason why we can never be together,' I choked, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill over. I always knew that our relationship was complicated, that it was very likely that we were not meant to be, but I didn't need another reason to keep him away from me.

Dimitri nodded stiffly. Then, with sorrow in his eyes, he leaned in to kiss me softly on my lips. It wasn't passionate, nor urgent. It didn't feel like any of the kisses we had shared before. It was light, soft, barely touching my lips. It felt like goodbye. And for the thousandth time, my heart broke.

_I can't believe you didn't tell me!_

I pulled away from Dimitri and spun around quickly. Lissa was standing at the entrance to the kitchen. Her feelings of betrayal and anger seeped through our bond, but I could feel that she was trying to control them. Did she hear our conversation? I panicked, Lissa didn't need to have another reason to worry about me.

'What's going on?' Lissa whispered. Dimitri wore his stoic Guardian face, whilst my mind raced for an excuse. She must have misinterpreted it, it was the sun playing on our faces, I had something in my eye… Anything.

'Don't give me bullshit, Rose. I saw you kissing Dimitri,' Lissa second-guessed my intention. I stared at her, and opened my mouth to give an excuse but decided to give in. I pulled her into the kitchen and closed the door behind her.

'Shh!' I whispered urgently.

'I'm alone, if you're wondering,' she said. I could feel her anger start to rise as she stared at me accusingly. Turning towards Dimitri, she ranted, 'You again! I don't care if you're the best Guardian in the world, I don't care if Rose thinks you're some kind of Russian God incarnate…'

I groaned inwardly. _Oh, Lissa! Dimitri didn't need to know that._ He seemed amused at this information.

'I don't care if you're Tasha's Guardian, boyfriend, I don't know what you are anymore… You do _**not**_ mess around with _**my **_best friend, if you're only going to break her heart. You hear that?'

Dimitri raised an eyebrow at her. He was amused. I could tell. Hell, I was surprised at Lissa's sudden outburst. It wasn't like her to be confrontational.

'And do not raise your eyebrow at me like that. I'm not Rose, it's not going to work,' Lissa snapped.

Dimitri looked even more amused at this additional information and I silently wished the kitchen floor would open up and swallow me. I was so embarrassed.

Lissa spun around and turned to me, 'You need to stop kissing him! For crying out loud, Rose! Self-preservation, remember? Is this what you've been doing every morning?'

I whimpered my reply. I wasn't used to this Lissa. I was usually the one doing the yelling, not the other way round.

She rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated at the both of us. Turning to Dimitri, she said, 'You seriously need to stop messing with her head. Is this all she's worth to you? This is like the Academy all over again – dark corners, stolen kisses, sneaking behind everyone's back. We're leaving today. What are you going to do? Go back to Tasha, and I have to pick up the pieces with Rose,'

'Shh!' I hissed at Lissa. Geez, Dimitri didn't have to know that. 'I'll be okay, Liss. Don't worry about me,'

'Seriously, Rose. That's what you say all the time. And even though our bond doesn't work both ways, I still know how you're feeling. I thought it was weird that you've been keeping to your room more than usual over the last week and you're always off in your own little world, smiling to yourself when you think no one's looking. Why do you offer him your heart to break over and over again?'

She was my best friend, but I could seriously kill her then. I was blushing furiously.

'Lissa!' I said, a little louder than I had expected, and lowering my tone slightly said, 'Do you need to bring this up? Now? Seriously?' I nodded my head at Dimitri, as subtly as possible.

She stared at me angrily. 'I'm just trying to help,' she was hurt, I could feel it. And I felt guilty for hurting her. Damn it.

'Forget it,' I mumbled, 'It will be over soon, anyway'

'And you promise you'll seriously give Adrian a chance when we arrive in Australia?' she insisted. I nodded, silently – once Dimitri leaves with Tasha, we will stay out of each other's way; he will move on with her, and I will start dating Adrian seriously. I smiled at Dimitri apologetically. His face was unreadable, as usual. I'm sure he would agree that it would be the best for both of us.

'And will you promise to leave her alone?' Lissa turned and looked pointedly at Dimitri. Dimitri remained silent, staring out of the window. 'You can't share a bed with another woman, while you lust over Rose,' Lissa insisted. I winced at what she said and how she had diminished what Dimitri and I had to something as basal as lust. Dimitri winced as well, though he tried to make it look inconspicuous.

I saw him nod slowly, and that was all the confirmation I need. I don't know why I was disappointed. I should have known better. I felt an incredible need to be alone then, so I turned and walked out of the kitchen, out of his life, once again.

'Rose…' I heard him call out, but I just kept walking. I had heard enough.

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Because I haven't updated in so long, I'm going to upload the next chapter in a few minutes, so at least you're not left on a cliffie. :) Please review, pretty please! Thanks! x**


	11. Chapter 10

**Here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it~**

**Chapter 10**

**Rose's Point of View**

I didn't exactly want to be in my room then so I headed down to the heated pool in the basement. My normal swimsuit was already packed and I usually kept a spare bikini in the lockers. Sure, it wasn't the best attire to do laps in, but it will have to do for now. I quickly changed and jumped into the pool, welcoming the warmth that engulfed me. Exercise has always been good therapy for me and since I couldn't go out for a run, and I seriously doubted that I would be allowed to step a foot out of the villa even to go to the gym, swimming was the only other option I had.

My hands sliced through the water and with each stroke, I felt myself forget about the conflicting emotions and the jumble of thoughts in my head. Forgetting may not be a permanent solution, but I sure as hell needed some escape right now. I wasn't the best swimmer – Dimitri never trained me in it. I shook away the thought of Dimitri and I in a pool, both of us with barely any clothes on. It thrilled me, yet broke me at the same time. I only picked up swimming since Lissa and I started living in New York and had been working on my strokes ever since. Nevertheless, I had learned quickly and soon found it to be as enjoyable as running. The silence of being underwater lent me comfort and usually helped me sort out any pent-up anger I may have.

I finished swimming 100 laps. If Lissa ever needed me to swim away from Strigoi, I was pretty sure I would handle it quite well. I threw my goggles onto the pool deck and paused to catch my breath. I closed my eyes and all I could see was Dimitri's smile, his laughing eyes, his handsome face. 'Damn it,' I cried out loud, splashing water onto my face.

Pushing myself out of the water, I saw Adrian approach me. Great, I groaned inwardly, I really don't need another man to deal with right now.

Adrian cocked an eyebrow at me, 'Not happy to see me, Little Dhampir?'

I opened my mouth to protest but he interrupted, 'I can't say the same for myself. I personally consider it a waste to hide that body behind clothes,'

I rolled my eyes at him. I _so_ wasn't in the mood. Turning away from him, I toweled my hair dry.

'I know how you feel about Belikov,' Adrian said suddenly. I froze.

'In case you've forgotten Rose, I can read auras,' he said solemnly. I knew he meant business – he only used my name when he was serious, 'You love him,'

I scoffed at him. Okay, if this was what he wanted to talk about…

'Don't you?' Adrian looked at me with all seriousness. His handsome face was not smiling. It was odd not to see Adrian crack a joke, or laughing at me silently. He looked older, wiser and somewhat… Sadder. I refused to answer his question and decided to scamper off to my room instead. I felt his eyes bore into my back and I felt terrible for running from him and not telling him the truth. _Coward_, I scolded myself.

In my haste, I had forgotten that my clothes were still in the change room. _Shit_, I thought to myself. I hope everyone wasn't up, otherwise I'd be parading around in a bikini. I peeked into the living room – everyone was there. Damn it. I had to make it to the stairs as quickly as possible. A few meters, I can do it.

As I went to do my run, Lissa screeched, 'ROSE! Where are your clothes?'

_Oh God. Who is she? My mum?_

I turned and looked at her sheepishly. She had her hands on her hips and every male pair of eyes were on me. Yes, Dimitri too. _Yeah, feast on this. It's the last time you'll see it!_ I thought bitterly.

'I uh… Forgot them,' I said, lamely.

She arched an eyebrow. Since when did she learn to do that? 'You forgot them?'

Okay, I've had enough. I threw my towel on the floor, sick of pretending to be modest. 'Look. We're all adults here, Liss, what exactly is the problem?' and looking pointedly at each man in the room said, 'What? You've never seen a woman in a bikini?'

'Seriously,' I rolled my eyes, bending down to pick up my towel, 'Adrian was there okay. He wanted to… I don't know… Talk or something… And I wasn't feeling like it, so I kinda ran from him and I just forgot about my clothes. God!' I was exasperated. People should stop giving me shit. As if I hadn't already had more than my fair share of it.

'What are you looking at?' I snapped at Peter and he blushed and quickly looked away. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. I stormed upstairs to my room, slammed the door and let out a loud yell. I didn't care if everyone heard me.

I did some final packing and managed to squeeze everything I owned into my luggage. After pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I dusted some make up on myself and pulled my white singlet on. There was a knock on my door and Adrian came in.

'We need to talk,' he said soberly. I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes.

'Okay, what do you want to know?' I might as well face the music.

'You're unhappy and I hate seeing that. I don't know what's been going on over the past few days, but your aura's been pink and yellow. I had hoped that it was because of me, but we've rarely spent any time together,'

I shifted my eyes guiltily and he continued, 'You've been seeing Belikov,'

His tone was not accusatory, but I felt like he was accusing me of a crime nonetheless. And so he should be. I muttered my response.

'I knew it,' Adrian said, dejectedly, 'His aura was quite the same as yours. I knew something was going on,'

'I'm sorry Adrian,' I walked towards him. He looked at me with pain in his eyes, 'I'm so sorry,'

'No,' he said, reaching out to hold my shoulders, 'Don't be. You can't control who you love,'

I shook my head, 'when we leave for Australia, it'll be different,'

'Australia?' he asked, 'Aren't you going to fight for what you want?'

I stared at him ludicrously, 'We can never be together, Adrian. Dimitri and I are not meant for each other. I've had this talk with him. Over the past few days, I've been getting up to go for a run. It wasn't planned or anything. I just happened to meet him downstairs one day, and apparently he couldn't sleep either so we went for a run… And everything kind of went from there,' I blushed at the memory and Adrian looked at me, amused. He must be reading my auras again.

'Anyway, I was fooling myself. It was just an infatuation, just lust for him,' Adrian cocked his eyebrow at me when I said this. 'Lust doesn't look pink,' he informed me. I shook my head and carried on, 'Dimitri and I had a talk this morning anyway. Lissa heard us and made him promise to stay away from me. And he agreed. I mean, doesn't that say a lot? If I meant that much to him, he'd fight for me, but he's not going to. So… Why should I?'

Adrian shook his head in disbelief, 'You know, I've never seen so much longing between two people before, and both of you are just going to let each other go. Again. And don't tell me that Lissa didn't make you promise to stay away from him. Did you agree to that?'

I looked away, guiltily. He was right. I did agree to that, I was partly to blame too. Adrian took my silence as confirmation.

'So, he probably thinks that he doesn't mean that much to you either,'

I opened my mouth to protest but Adrian interrupted, 'Like I said. You're going to let him walk out of your life again. You're not going to fight for him. That's not the Rose that I know,'

'But what am I supposed to do Adrian?' I heard my voice rise, 'What do I have to offer him? Tasha has everything. She's a Moroi, she's beautiful, she can give him a family, he doesn't have to be ashamed around her, he doesn't have to feel like an outcast every time he attends functions and holds her hand. What's his life with me going to be like?'

'If he's half the man you think he is, he'll be happy,' Adrian said darkly, 'Any man who shares his life with you, should consider himself the luckiest bastard alive,'

I looked at Adrian gratefully, 'Oh Adrian' I said, hugging him tightly. He patted my back comfortingly and we lapsed into silence.

'So are you going to fight for him?' Adrian insisted after a moment's silence and I sighed with a heavy heart. I wasn't even sure if Dimitri loved me, he'd never said it. Maybe all he felt for me was physical attraction…

'Okay, someone needs to do something about this and if you're not going to do it, I'm going to see if he will,' Adrian declared, pushing me away from him. I stared at him in horror.

'You will not!' I yelled out at him, but he had already slipped away. Oh God. This is worse than I expected. Why does drama surround me? I raced after Adrian, but he was already downstairs, yelling for Dimitri. Shit. Shit. Shit. How can he just rush off like this? What about Tasha? Oh my God, what was Tasha going to think? I'm the third person in this relationship. Shit, when did I become a home wrecker? I'm the distraction because Dimitri wasn't happy. I felt my heart go cold at the memory of what he said to me – _If I was so happy with Tasha; I wouldn't be out here with you, would I?_ – The bastard! I had to stop Adrian from making a fool of me.

'Adrian!' I yelled out, skidding into the living room. I managed to clamp a hand over his mouth before he said anything. He reeled back in shock but I kept my hand in place. Everyone stared at us and I smiled apologetically at everyone else, 'Sorry, he's just… Drunk,'

Adrian let out a low growl and struggled against me but I held him in place, 'He doesn't actually know what he wants to say,' I looked at him pointedly, 'Do you Adrian?' He narrowed his eyes at me. Confusion surrounded Lissa and I felt it pulsate through our bond. I would have to explain it to her later, now was not the time. I started to march Adrian out of the room, calling out, 'The plane's arriving in two hours, I'll see you guys then. Adrian and I have things to do,'

I marched Adrian into the kitchen and slammed the door behind me, 'What the hell do you think you were doing?' I demanded.

He snarled at me – and my eyes opened with surprise – Adrian never snarled at me, 'Why don't you take your own happiness seriously for once?'

I narrowed my eyes at him. He was starting to seriously piss me off, 'And do what Adrian? I'm the one who's wrong here. I'm the third person in their relationship. Do you want to know what he said to me? He said, if I was so happy with Tasha, I wouldn't be out here with you, would I? What does that sound like you? You're going to confront him in front of everyone, in front of his girlfriend? What are you trying to do to me? I'll be forever labeled as the one who came between them. Everyone knows how perfect it is for them to be together. Christian is marrying Lissa. Do you think he'll ever forgive me for doing this to his aunt?'

Adrian let out a growl of frustration, before storming out of the kitchen again. 'Where the hell do you think you're going?' I yelled out after him. I saw him storm into the living room and head towards Dimitri. Oh my God. Was this guy drunk or what?

I heard a loud crack and realized that Adrian had punched Dimitri square in the jaw. I gasped, and so did everyone else. Christian rushed to pull Adrian away and Tasha was fussing over Dimitri's bleeding lip and Peter and David, Adrian's Guardians were restraining Dimitri as he looked like he was about to commit some serious bodily harm to Adrian. Dimitri eyes screamed murder, but so did Adrian's. They looked like two bulls, ready to charge at each other. I held my head in my hands; this was turning into a nightmare. Christian was yelling at Adrian, Tasha was screaming about a bloody lip, Lissa was trying to calm Christian down, Eddie and the other Guardians were dumb founded… It was chaos, and I was responsible for it.

Amidst the commotion, I heard Adrian snarl at Dimitri, 'You're a fool, if I've ever seen one,'

Lissa looked over at me and silently asked what happened. I shook my head at her. I had a lot of explaining to do but this wasn't the right time or place.

'What happened?' Tasha asked Dimitri, 'What is Adrian talking about?'

Dimitri didn't answer, just stared at Adrian murderously. I walked towards the two of them and pushed Adrian further away from Dimitri. 'Come on,' I said gently, 'It will be over soon, we're leaving soon and it will all be okay again,'

'Come on,' I urged, tugging at Adrian's hand. He wouldn't budge so I decided to pull out the one trick I knew would always work with Adrian. I kissed him. It was wrong of me, but I needed to get him out of the living room. I felt Adrian relax considerably. Mission accomplished. Christian looked at me – obviously confused at what was going on, but probably had an inkling that it had something to do with me.

I shook my head and whispered, 'Later,' indicating that I'd talk to him later.

Adrian gave Dimitri one last murderous look and spat, 'You don't deserve her, at all,'

'Enough,' I said firmly, gripping his hand tighter. I dragged him out of the room and up the stairs to my room. I threw him onto my bed and placed my hands on my hips, 'You shouldn't have done that,'

'He shouldn't have taken advantage of you,' Adrian said angrily.

I shrugged dejectedly, 'It's over now Adrian; I'll get over it,'

He sat silently on my bed, staring moodily at the wall and I plopped myself beside him, letting out a heavy sigh, 'Thanks for punching him though,' I grinned at Adrian, trying to lighten the mood. Adrian looked at me, surprised, before breaking out into a grin, 'Anytime,'

Then, my bedroom door burst open and in strode Dimitri, looking everything like a Russian God on the warpath. Adrian and I were shocked to see him.

'Never learned to knock?' Adrian scowled at Dimitri, jumping to his feet and standing in front of me, as if to guard me from Dimitri. Dimitri scowled back at Adrian, 'I need to talk to Rose, Ivashkov,'

'Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you,' Adrian shot back. I looked back and forth between the two of them. I had never seen Adrian so protective before, neither have I ever seen Dimitri lose his control like this before. This week has just been insane.

'Why don't we ask her?' Dimitri snarled.

'Look, I'm sure we can all talk about this without throwing punches,' I said, standing up and guiding Adrian towards the bed. I sat him down – used all my strength to push his shoulders down. He never broke eye contact with Dimitri. I pulled out a seat for Dimitri and motioned for him to sit down. He sat down – again, never breaking eye contact with Adrian. Men, I thought, rolling my eyes.

'Okay,' I started, putting on my best United Nations voice, 'Adrian, you go first. You need to apologize to Dimitri for punching him,'

Adrian turned his scowl at me, 'I'm not apologizing for something he deserves,'

I sighed. This was going to be difficult, 'Look guys. The plane's coming soon. We need to go soon. Let's sort this out okay? And I need you two to cooperate with me,'

'Okay,' Adrian said, staring angrily at Dimitri, 'I'll go first. What the hell do you think you're doing messing around with her when you're with another woman? What do you want from Rose? Do you think this is some sick game where every time you turn up, you break her heart?'

Okay, so this was so not going to my plan.

Dimitri stood up from his seat immediately and looked like he was going to launch into Adrian. I shoved him back into his seat and Adrian looked cockily at Dimitri. 'If that's your excuse for trying to keep her away from me, and if you think that I'll ever let you have her, then you're dreaming!' Dimitri growled menacingly. God, men! They're totally like animals.

Wait. What did Dimitri say? I turned to stare at him. Adrian must have thought he heard wrong as well because he was looking at Dimitri blankly.

'I don't care who you are Ivashkov, if you want her, you'll fight me for her,' Dimitri continued, eyes flashing with anger.

'May the best man win,' Adrian cocked an eyebrow at Dimitri, rising up to the challenge.

Wait. What the hell was going on? I was so confused. 'Hey!' I shouted, catching both their attentions, 'Why are you fighting? Why me? What the hell are you guys talking about?'

'I'm fighting him for you, my sweet,' Adrian drawled, amusement flickering in his eyes. Dimitri's eyes narrowed at the sentiment.

'I know that!' I said, irritated, 'But why? God, you two need to stop fighting!'

'Well, it looks like our Russian friend here wants a piece of you and I want more than just a piece of you, so we're going to fight for it,' Adrian chuckled. I had no idea why he was so amused. Judging by the look Dimitri was giving him, he looked like he was about to be turned into minced meat. I gave up talking to Adrian so I turned to Dimitri and asked, 'What's going on? You can't just storm into my room and demand that Adrian fight you. If you want an apology for him hitting you, then you can just say so,'

'What's going on?' he repeated at me incredulously, 'What's going on with you and Adrian in here? This morning, you were kissing me, now, you're kissing him. Maybe you should start explaining yourself! You sure do move on fast Rose. What are you planning to do with him in here? Last minute kisses? Seriously, you can do that anytime in Australia, don't do it when I'm around!'

I looked at him like he had gone out of his mind. That was the only way to explain the absurdity of the situation – he must have lost his mind. Adrian was rolling over with laughter.

'I'm sorry,' I shot at Dimitri sarcastically, 'If you've forgotten, I dragged him in here because he was about to start a fight with you! Don't you think you should be thanking me? Adrian might have given you a bloody nose to go with your lip'

Dimitri scoffed at me, 'You think a Moroi can ever do any harm to me?'

'He just gave you a bloody lip!' I shot back. Adrian hooted with laughter behind us. He was starting to annoy me. I might give him a bloody lip after I'm done with this raging lunatic. Dimitri scowled at me angrily.

'Look, what do you want? I'm leaving in less than an hour anyway, you get to go back and play happy families with Tasha, and whatever Adrian and I get up to, will not be any of your business. We agreed on that, remember?' I crossed my arms angrily. How dare he accuse me of being with Adrian when he and Tasha have been cozying up to each other every night? Dimitri didn't answer and we stood there, fuming at each other for a few moments. Adrian winked at me and got off my bed. He sneaked out of my room, but not before giving me a thumbs-up. I had no idea what he was so happy about.

'Tasha and I aren't playing happy families…' Dimitri started, breaking the silence between us.

'Well, I don't care if you're not happy with her okay? You guys sort it out. You can't – '

'No, Rose. Tasha and I aren't playing happy families; whatever you and Adrian get up to together may _not_ be my business but I'm going to make it mine because it kills me inside to think about it; and I know you're leaving in less than an hour, but you have no idea how much I'll give to have you stay by my side forever. I know I promised Lissa to stay away from you, but it's going to take a whole lot more than an angry Princess to stop me from seeing you,' he held onto my shoulders and looked at me in the eye, 'I know I've told you over and over again that we can't be together, but every day we're apart, I wonder whether you're okay, whether you're safe, whether you're happy, whether you're thinking about me too. I know we're both Guardians, but I'd be a fool if I keep telling myself that any Moroi's life is worth more than yours,'

I stared at him, shocked at his confession, too stunned to speak. This was not what I was expecting. It was what I've been dreaming of, but to have Dimitri actually say it… I was speechless. My first instinct was to be skeptical, 'What about Tasha?'

He shook his head, and tenderly tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ears, 'Don't worry, I'll sort it out,'

'I don't want to be a home wrecker,'

'Don't say that. Tasha and I tried to make it work. For 6 months after I left, we really tried. I tried to forget you, I tried to stop thinking about you, but whilst I was mostly successful during the day, you were always there in my dreams. I tried to love her, but it always felt forced and unnatural. It soon became clear to both Tasha and I that it wasn't going to work. She knows that I will never have the same feelings for her as I do for you. This trip only confirmed it for her. Tasha's not an idiot; she's not going to be content with someone who doesn't love her as much as she loves him,'

I stared at him – a million thoughts raced through my mind, 'But you've been sleeping with her,' I managed to say lamely. _Way to go, Hathaway._

He chuckled. It sounded gorgeous. 'When it isn't possible to have separate bedrooms, we share a room. I take the floor. Back at hers though, we have separate bedrooms,' he smiled at me – that beautiful smile that could fool me any day, 'does that make you feel better?' he teased.

I scowled at him. How dare he patronize me?

His brown eyes opened wide in surprise, 'I'm sorry I found that amusing. You don't know how happy it makes me to know that it matters to you. Ever since I got here, I've been wondering if I still matter to you, if you still care about me, if it was going to be too late. I should have come for you earlier, but I couldn't leave Tasha, especially because Alex was staging attacks on us pretty much weekly. And… After I saw how you and Adrian were… Well, I didn't know anymore. I thought… Maybe it was too late,'

I shook my head, tears threatening to choke my throat. I felt his sincerity. All this time, he was wondering about Adrian and I; just like I was wondering about him and Tasha. I thought back to all the times our eyes met, all the unspoken words, all the speculations, all the misunderstandings.

'Adrian wanted me to do something about my own happiness,' I finally managed to say. My voice was thick with emotion, 'I told him I wasn't going to make a fool out of myself because I didn't know if you still loved me,'

In one swift motion, Dimitri held me close to his chest. 'I love you Roza, I've always loved you. And I'm sorry if I ever did anything to make you doubt that,'

I was sobbing into his chest by now; his heart was beating wildly, as was mine. He kissed my hair gently and whispered, 'Those early evening runs were the best part of my day,'

'Why didn't you ever tell me back then?' I sobbed.

Dimitri paused for a second, 'I knew you wanted me physically, I knew your body responded to my every touch, but I wanted your heart. And I didn't know if I had it. You always seemed to laugh more around Ivashkov, always seemed so much happier. I hated the fact that he could make you laugh and I couldn't,'

I blushed at this. I did want him physically. It was as if our bodies were made for each other, made for dancing, touching, intertwining. But at the same time, I loved him with all my heart – his courage, his pride, his passion, his intellect; his loyalty, his strength, his gruff tenderness; his smile, his laugh, his dancing eyes; his fierce dedication to his work, his intense belief in the good, his constant struggle for self-control.

'When you promised Lissa that you'd give Ivashkov a serious chance when you leave for Australia, I thought it was the end. Lissa was right – you deserve a lot more than dark corners and sneaking around behind everyone's back. I was prepared to let you go again, convinced that I was too late, that you had already given your heart away to another. Ivashkov was right – I was a fool and I didn't, probably still don't, deserve you. But seeing you kiss him and then drag him away into your room broke me. I wasn't going to let you walk out of my life again without a fight. I had to know if you still loved me,'

'And if I didn't?' I asked quietly. He paused for what seemed like a long time.

'Then I would be a broken man forever,'

I wrapped my arms tighter around him and we stood there for a few minutes; him stroking my hair, me listening to his heart beat. I felt my heart brim over with joy. The moment seemed too perfect, something was bound to give. Nothing this good ever happens to me without a price.

Family. My heart sank at the thought. He wants a family. I looked up at him, teary eyed, 'But what about a family?'

'You're the only family I ever want. When I think of children, they have your smile. I'd love to have children, but I'd rather have none with you than to have them with someone else,' he said passionately, holding me tighter than before.

My mind searched for an excuse. 'What about Alex?'

'I would rather be where I can defend you than tear myself up every day wondering if he's gotten to you, if you're safe. He knows I love you, he's not going to be fooled by me staying away from you,'

I looked into his eyes – they were warm and hopeful. I realized that he'd been doing all the talking, all the confessing and he still didn't know if I loved him. I broke away from his embrace and turned away from him, smiling to myself. I could picture the confusion on his handsome features as I walked away from him to the other side of the room. I crossed my arms and frowned, as if deep in thought. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his eyebrows knit into a frown.

'Adrian could give me anything I want,' I started. Dimitri's eyes darkened, 'I could even become queen. He's a Royal Moroi. I could have a family with him,'

I saw Dimitri clench his fists. 'Adrian's handsome. _And_ has a great body,' I continued, and Dimitri narrowed his eyes at me. 'No one would find our union ridiculous; it would be perfect,' there was a pregnant pause.

'You have my best wishes Rose,' Dimitri said darkly, turning to leave.

'It would be perfect, if it wasn't for one thing,' I called out after him. He stopped in his tracks. 'He isn't you. And I'll never want any seemingly perfect situation if you're not in it,' I continued. Dimitri turned to look at me stoically. 'It would be perfect, if it wasn't for the fact that I was, always been, still am and will always be madly, deeply, hopelessly in love with you,'

Dimitri crossed the room in two strides. He lifted me up in his arms and kissed me urgently. I wrapped my legs around his waist and returned his fierce kisses. I trembled in his arms as he gently bit my lower lip and ran his tongue over it. 'You scared me, Roza,' he whispered hoarsely, 'I thought I had lost you again,'

I smiled into his kisses, 'Never,' and he kissed me harder as he lowered me onto my bed, just like I had always dreamed. I arched my back urgently towards him, wanting to get closer to him. His fingers teasingly dipped into my jeans as I squirmed underneath him. I gently bit his lower lip, opening his mouth slightly, enough to slip my tongue inside to meet his. He let out a low growl of desire as he pushed against me. My head was giddy with passion and our breathing was labored. I had dreamed of this moment for so long, I still had trouble believing that it was real.

'We'll make it work,' Dimitri promised, as he dipped down to kiss my neck. I bent my head back to give him easier access. His wet lips were on the sensitive area behind my neck and I gasped with pleasure. My fingernails dug into his back urgently and I heard him let out a low chuckle. _What a tease_, I thought and urging myself to gain composure, pushed him over and rolled on top of him. I was straddling his hips now, and I saw his eyes fill with desire. I smiled smugly at him and slowly grinded my hips against his. He let out a low growl and reached out for me, pulling me towards him. I laughed softly against his lips as he dragged me into a long kiss. I moved my lips against his jaw, feeling the slight stubble on his chin. He kissed my forehead and whispered promises of love into my ear.

Then we both heard the door open and sat up quickly to see Lissa come in, 'Oh God!' she blushed furiously, shutting the door quickly behind her. Dimitri laughed into my hair, hugging me tightly as I was still straddling him. I smiled and kissed him on his forehead. It was a tender moment that I wished would last forever.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door, and Lissa poked her head around. 'Uh… The plane's here,' she said sheepishly, trying to avoid looking at us, but she quickly gained composure and strode angrily over to Dimitri, 'You promised,'

He grinned and shrugged at her, all the while holding me in my position – straddling his hips, 'But she's irresistible,'

I laughed at the look on Lissa's face and pried myself away from Dimitri. As much as I wanted to stay there forever with him, we had a plane to catch. 'Stop teasing her,' I chided him. His eyes were dancing. I don't think I've ever seen him that happy before. I smiled happily back at him. God help us, we were so in love. He winked at me and because he looked so irresistible, I laughed and leaned down to give him a quick kiss.

'Oh guys,' Lissa groaned.

'Don't worry Liss, we'll make it work,' I said, echoing Dimitri's words. He grinned at me and reached out to squeeze my hand. I squeezed his hand in return and pulled him out of bed, 'Come on, we need to go,'

'You guys have a lot of explaining to do,' Lissa warned.

'We know, Princess,' Dimitri said cheekily, giving her a low bow. It caught Lissa off guard and she blushed furiously. I laughed loudly and smacked Dimitri playfully on the shoulders. 'Stop it,' I chuckled. I liked this lighter side of Dimitri. Lissa tried to scowl at him but couldn't keep from smiling.

Dimitri wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on my forehead, 'I need to go back with Tasha for a few days. We're going to work out my transfer, and if all goes well, I'll see you by the end of the week,'

'You're transferring?'

'Of course, I'll be guarding Christian soon,' he said happily. Lissa looked quizzically between the two of us, not quite understanding what was going on.

I looked at Dimitri in surprise. I was ecstatic. When he told me he loved me, I didn't think things could get any better, but this was beyond my dreams. He was coming to Australia! I could see him every day!

'I love you!' I threw my arms around him and he laughed into my hair, 'I love you too,' I felt like my heart was about to burst with joy.

'How?' I asked excitedly, wondering when he sorted all this out.

He smiled at me, 'I told you not to worry about Tasha,'

Tasha. She must have organized all this. She was a bigger, better person than I gave her credit for. I had some serious apologizing to do. I would like to ask Dimitri for the details, but we had a plane to catch so instead I said, 'Don't stay away for too long,'

'I never will,' he promised, leaning down to kiss me. I finally broke away from his kiss, but only because Lissa was getting impatient and tired of seeing us exchange sentiments. She was gagging through our bond. As Dimitri lugged my luggage downstairs, I literally skipped down and ran to hug Adrian. 'Thank you so much!' I whispered as he spun me around.

'I'm glad you're happy,' he said, a wisp of melancholy in his voice.

**In the next chapter, the gang will touchdown in Melbourne, Australia. And I chose Melbourne because that's where I'm from heh!  
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Rose and Dimitri are _finally _together - yay!  
Please, please, please review! I'd love to know what you guys think; it also gives me an idea of where to take the next chapters..! So, please review, and I'll hopefully be able to post the next chapter up soon. Until then, take care! x**


	12. Chapter 11

**Thanks for all the lovely, lovely reviews. Again, sorry for the delayed update. I just finished exams and am now on holidays, so will be able to update a bit more often. Anyway, this is 15 pages on my MWord, so I hope you enjoy! Lots of love scenes between Rose and Dimitri, and so I'd like to point out that this story is rated M for a reason! The usual disclaimers apply.**

Chapter 11

Rose's Point of View

'Ladies and gentleman, good morning; I hope you have enjoyed your flight so far. In a few minutes, we will begin our descent into Melbourne International Airport. The local time is currently 5.30 in the evening, and we hope to arrive at around 6.05 p.m.,' the pilot's voice filled the plane, rousing me from my sleep.

I stretched in my seat and looked over to where Lissa has cuddling up to Christian. They were still fast asleep.

Adrian was in the seat in front of me and as I stood up to stretch my legs, I saw him engrossed in a Mario Kart game. I rolled my eyes, 'Good morning sunshine, did you even get any rest?'

Adrian grunted his reply as he continued shooting at the screen. I rolled my eyes again and pressed the call button for an air steward. My mouth was parched.

Adrian had gotten us exclusive use of Tatiana's private jet. I haven't been on many plane flights before, but I can easily say that it will be, by far, the most luxurious plane I'll ever be on. Our seats extended out into beds, we had free use of the bar, we had individual screens for in-flight entertainment (which Adrian was so engrossed in!), and we had plenty of food! The meals were specially cooked at Court before being brought on board and we were told to bring 2 feeders, just in case the Morois became hungry.

Naturally, before we were allowed to leave for Australia, Tatiana called us for an inquisition. She questioned – no, make that interrogated – me on the two Strigoi attacks. She even wondered if the attacks had anything to do with Dimitri and I – 'they seem to turn up around you two a lot,' she had speculated. It made me go cold, as if she knew about our secret about Alex; but I shrugged coolly, trying to seem clueless and she eventually let it go. Adrian openly scoffed at her speculation – 'they're not Morois, why would Strigoi go after them; it's ridiculous,' – which annoyed her further, prompting her to drop it altogether. I still can't believe how lightly we were let off the hook.

I rubbed my temples vigorously; plane flights always gave me a migraine. I ordered a seafood linguine dish when the air steward came. I looked outside the window and my mind drifted to thoughts of Dimitri and his searing kisses. I blushed at the thought of seeing him in a week's time, in a totally different country, with no one to keep us apart.

'Ma'am, your meal,' the air steward said as he laid it out for me. I wolfed down my meal and decided to patrol the aisles to see if anyone else was up, aside from Adrian.

Mia's head was rested against Eddie's shoulder as they both slept soundly. I chuckled quietly to myself, taking note to leave them alone together more often. No one else was awake so I decided to plop myself next to Adrian and annoy him.

'Hey!' Adrian muttered in annoyance as I squeezed next to him in his seat. The seats were luxuriously large, if Dimitri was on the same flight, I could easily share a seat with him and… I blushed at the thought.

'Damn it! Now, I have to start all over again!' Adrian cried in frustration, jolting me back from my wanton thoughts of Dimitri and joining the mile high club.

I rolled my eyes at Adrian, 'you'll live,'

'Couldn't sleep?' Adrian asked, putting an arm around me, 'You know, it's a pity you're with that Russian dude and I don't really want him to put a death sentence on me, otherwise…' he winked at me, 'I could seriously get up to some mischief with you,'

I shoved him playfully, 'Enough Adrian. Everyone's asleep and I'm bored. What do you think Melbourne will be like?'

He laughed, 'We'll find out in about 15 minutes won't we?'

And just then, the seat belt signs came on and the pilot instructed us to all return to our seats and to prepare for landing.

Lissa had bombarded us with a lot of information about Melbourne during our long flight over – she told us everything from their famous cafes, to their vintage shopping outlets; from their nightlife to their many orchestral, operatic and ballet performances.

The Australians found our accents fascinating, as we did theirs. We moved into a leafy suburb called Moonee Ponds (don't they have funny names?) as that was where this school of offensive magic, as I liked to call it, was located. We had the same sleeping arrangements as we did in New York, that is, Lissa, Christian and I moved into a 4 bedroom house, along with Alberta, whilst Adrian, David and Eddie moved in next door. Mia, Ayeshah, Katie and Tanya decided to get a house together, rather than separate places like they did before in New York. I haven't lived in suburbia for a while, so it was a nice change. Suburbia was quieter, and much more laid back than the hectic to and fro of NYC.

Adrian took to Melbourne's nightlife immediately, and resumed his playboy lifestyle – smoking, drinking, and flirting. I felt that he would be better off on a permanent holiday in the mountains. At least, he didn't smoke and only rarely drank there. Besides, there weren't enough girls around for him to flirt with; at least, there weren't enough girls around who wouldn't punch him out for him to flirt with. I tried to tell him that his aunt is not going to take him seriously unless he stops his smoking and drinking; but he seemed to always laugh it off, saying that being in Melbourne is like being on a working holiday for him.

Lissa, on the other hand, had fully immersed herself in studying Spirit. McCormick, or Macca, as he likes people to call him, is our Moroi group's offensive magic tutor. He looked about 50, and had grey flecks in his dark hair, making him look more distinguished and solemn than his actual easy going nature suggests. Macca and Adrian were trying to teach Lissa how to dream walk and read auras; whilst Lissa was trying to teach Adrian how heal. It's a good thing we were far away from Tatiana's prying eyes, otherwise I was sure she would put a stop to it if she knew. She had strong feelings about practicing offensive magic – she felt that it was too Strigoi-like, and 'only the Ozeras practiced it,' she scoffed. I felt sorry for Christian – it must be hard for him, having to battle ridicule from everyone around him. I thought Tatiana's views were stupid, but who I am to say? She's the Queen after all.

In her free time, Lissa read about Moroi politics and studied the history of the royal line. She had taken advantage of the fact that there was no baggage limit on Tatiana's plane, and brought all her books over to Melbourne, much to my dismay. Though she never overtly expressed it, I could see the determination to succeed Tatiana in her eyes. She was determined to be a good leader and occasionally, I would stay up at night to listen to her ideas of reform. Whilst I encouraged her, I wasn't the type to get into politics. I've always preferred to solve problems with kicks and punches. Not the most mature, I know; but definitely more satisfying.

We Guardians were allowed full use of the gym at St. Basile's, Melbourne's equivalent of St. Vladimir's. Macca had linked us in with the school and they welcomed us warmly. The facilities were much better than the ones at our apartment in New York. Along with an awesome gym, St. Basile's also had a swimming pool, a running track and a seemingly endless supply of dummies to stake. I suppose when you're training young to-be Guardians, you need to have these facilities, although I was pretty sure St. Vladimir's had nowhere near the amount of equipment they have over here.

As we were going to be in Melbourne for a few months, we didn't feel the need to go sightseeing or explore Melbourne, as we normally would. Besides, we were in an entirely different country, and had no idea what Australian Strigois were like. Alberta and I decided that it probably wouldn't be wise to venture out too much, before settling in and finding our feet first. In the past, I have found myself dreaming of going out to hunt Strigoi. But, back in America, Tatiana's rules were that we wait for them to attack – yet another one of her views that I didn't agree with. I wonder if the rules are different here. I made a mental note to ask Lissa.

The week crawled by slowly, and I found myself dreaming of Dimitri every chance I got. He called me every night and it was the best part of my every day. I looked forward to hearing his deep voice, tinged with a slight Russian accent. He filled me in on the proceedings on his end – everything seemed to be going well and we were counting down the days before we finally got to see each other again. There wasn't going to be any dramas in transferring from Tasha to Christian; Tatiana didn't care enough about the Ozeras to care who guarded them. I learned that Tasha had been urging Dimitri to confront me about his feelings the whole time we were away; but he was always unsure because Adrian and I always seemed so happy together. I kicked myself mentally as I thought about the 3 weeks that we could have spent together, in each other's arms. But it didn't matter – he was coming soon.

I was Lissa's guinea pig when it came to dream walking. She would try to put me to sleep so she can practice her dream walking, but more often than not, I would end up falling asleep myself and she would become increasingly frustrated because she was still unable to get it right. Adrian once suggested that she should probably try it either drunk or high on pot; that earned him a nasty scowl from Christian. Adrian was starting to heal things such as little bruises or superficial cuts that I may have gotten whilst training.

Christian and Lissa also set a date for their wedding in June. They were planning to have it in America, but as the week progressed, they started discussing having it in Melbourne. The only down side was that it would be winter in Melbourne when June came around. And that they would only have 6 months to plan for an overseas wedding, if they decided to have it in America. Imagine the amount of work. The horror of it!

I kicked off my sheets that morning. It was the weekend. I smiled. I loved weekends, it meant no training for the Morois and we could finally do a bit of shopping. I quickly showered and got dressed; Lissa and I were going shopping today – our first day, scouting for wedding dresses. I would have preferred to maybe visit some cafes, or do some shopping in one of Melbourne's famed alleyways, but Lissa wanted to shop for wedding dresses, so shop for wedding dresses it was. Besides, the summer sun was still too strong for the Morois to venture into the outdoors. I opted for a pink singlet and a pair of denim shorts. I decided to let my hair down today and ran a brush quickly through it. Dimitri was due to arrive tomorrow, and I felt the butterflies in my stomach start to flutter at the thought of seeing him again. I wore a big grin as I bounced downstairs to find Lissa already at the breakfast table, her hair tied in a ponytail. The stairs creaked slightly; we lived in a Victorian two-story cottage looking house. From the outside, it looked like a fairy tale cottage, with vines crawling all over it and a large tree shading the entrance. Lissa and Christian shared a bedroom together, and Alberta and I took one each. We had a spare bedroom for Dimitri because when arrangements were made for us to come to Melbourne, Eddie had Dimitri's place. Now, Eddie is guarding Adrian alongside David; Peter had 'other commitments' back in America, and said he would prefer to return to Court. He was really mysterious about it, so we weren't quite sure what his 'other commitments' were – Adrian said Peter got a Moroi girl pregnant, but Adrian would always come up with far-fetched ideas like that, so no one really believed him.

Adrian and Christian came along as they wanted to do some shopping of their own as well. Lissa warned that she would not have them breathing down her neck, telling her to hurry up. We arrived at Hillside, supposedly a hidden mall run by Morois and Dhampirs for Morois and Dhampirs at about 10 p.m. Normal shops close at around 5 in the evening, so I could understand why the vampire community in Melbourne decided to set up shop themselves. We entered a few designer stores and Lissa asked about their wedding dress designs. When they saw Lissa's diamond earrings, Rolex watch and Ferragamo bag, they quickly rushed towards her with their latest designs. _Pretentious,_ I rolled my eyes as I sat on the couch and flipped through some magazines.

We spent 4 hours walking from shop to shop and Lissa must have tried on at least 20 different dresses, each one more beautiful and more expensive than the one before. I thought she looked gorgeous in each of them, but there was always something missing, like it didn't quite fit who she was.

'I'm never going to find it!' Lissa cried hysterically. I shushed her, 'don't be ridiculous Liss; it's the first time we've been shopping for it. People spend ages finding it. We'll find your perfect dress; and trust me, you'll know it when you see it,'

She nodded, agreeing with me, 'You're right, Rose. I shouldn't worry too much. We still have time,'

'Come on; let's go grab something to eat. I'm starving,' I said. She laughed at me, and said something about me always being hungry. Alberta and I managed to quickly grab a sandwich from the food court because Lissa had started to wander into a Victoria's Secret store. As I swallowed the last of my sandwich, Lissa dragged me towards a rack of racy lingerie and whispered cheekily, 'Pick something for him,'

I blushed furiously at the thought of Dimitri looking over me, barely clad in underwear. 'Go on,' she urged, picking out a black lace bra and underwear set for me. It looked like it would barely cover anything. I shook my head at her; my heart raced at the thought of Dimitri seeing me in it.

She laughed, 'Come on, what happened to the Rose I know?'

'But…' I started, still staring at what she picked out for me. 'Ah, what the hell,' I finally said, grinning at her. We picked out a few more for me to try on and I could feel Lissa's excitement threaten to overwhelm me. I laughed at her, 'You seem more excited about this than I am!'

'He's coming tomorrow!' Lissa said excitedly, 'I'm so excited for you!'

I laughed as she pushed me into the fitting room. They all fitted me perfectly and Lissa suggested that I should probably give up my Guardian job and become a model instead. I wanted to go with the black one – because black should only be worn if it was going to be sexy – but Lissa insisted that I get the turquoise one. It was lacy, with delicate sequins running all along the top of it. It looked beautiful against the colour of my skin. Lissa lamented that she could never pull that colour off because of her pale skin; but I reminded her that she would always look sensational in pastels, whereas I was restricted to brighter, bolder colours. The manager of the store took a double take at me when I came out of the dressing room, to parade in front of Lissa. He wanted to know if I was interested in modeling. Lissa grinned – _I told you so_, she said through our bond. I declined politely, and went to change. I had been offered modeling jobs before, but walking the catwalk wasn't something that interested me. It would be nice to have beautiful clothes to wear all the time, but I knew I would soon start to itch for a good fight. Besides, guarding Lissa was the best job I could ever ask for. I decided to get the turquoise bra and underwear set. Lissa and I always trusted each other's opinions; I was sick of wearing black.

Finally, we decided to meet up with Adrian and Christian. Thankfully, they weren't far; they had decided to purchase some video games – I saw Wii in the plastic bag Christian was carrying, and Play Station 3 in Adrian's. Boys.

'Looks like someone's in for a treat,' Adrian commented, when he saw my Victoria's Secret plastic bag. I grinned at him, knowing he was referring to Dimitri. 'Be good,' he winked at me.

'I won't,' I retorted, cheekily.

'Oh God, spare me the details Hathaway,' Christian said, rolling his eyes at me.

'I don't think you have the right to complain, Firefly; I know _way_ too much about _your_ love life,'

Lissa blushed and Christian made a face at me; they knew I was referring to the time when I would get dragged into their lovemaking via Lissa's bond. They also knew how much I hated it, especially because my love life was non-existent back then.

We finally reached home at about 3 a.m. and as the boys decided that they would like to set up their gaming consoles at Adrian's, we all hung out at his for the meantime as I pondered what we would have for dinner. I was sprawled all over a beanbag in a corner of Adrian's massive living room whilst Lissa said beside me, quietly flipping through more wedding magazines. I knew she was worried about her dress.

'Don't worry,' I called out to her and she looked up at me in surprise. She could never get used to me being able to read her emotions, 'Why don't we think about the venue?' I suggested. It was still early on in the wedding planning days, and Lissa hadn't really gotten her head around it – what with studying politics, and training magic. She nodded and sighed tiredly, 'But we don't even know if we're going to have it in Melbourne or back home,'

I could see the planning will gradually take its toll on her so I volunteered to help as much as I could, assuring her that we can start thinking about venues both in Melbourne and back home in America, so she can keep her choices relatively open.

'Thanks Rose, I don't know what I would do without you,' she said as she hugged me.

'Any day,' I said, giving her a quick squeeze of encouragement. We managed to Google a few different venues to check out in Melbourne and decided that we would have a look at them next week. There were perks to guarding my best friend – I could be on the job, whilst helping her scout for wedding locations at the same time. I wouldn't be able to do that with a modeling career.

My phone beeped and I leaned over to read the text message. It was Dimitri. My heart leaped in excitement.

_Am thinking of you, x_

I smiled and texted back. _I can't wait to see you!_

'I'm going to head home,' I told Lissa. I was anxious to talk to Dimitri; I wondered if he was about to board his flight.

Lissa smiled at me mysteriously, 'Of course, your daily chat to Dimitri,'

I blushed and excused myself. 'I'll call you when we've decided where to go for dinner!' Lissa called out as I gave her a thumbs up. I hummed happily to myself as I walked next door.

I smelt something good coming from one of the houses. I promised I would learn to be a better cook. On nights where we didn't eat together, either because Lissa and Christian were busy with offensive magic training, or because Lissa wasn't in the mood to cook, dinner for me, usually consisted of take away food or pizza. My culinary skills were embarrassing and Lissa had volunteered to teach me how to cook many times. I always brushed her offer away, saying that I didn't need fancy food; but as the tantalizing smell of lamb and rosemary wafted through the air, I started to consider taking up Lissa's offer.

I walked towards the front door of our house, smiling at how cute it looked from the outside, swinging my bag with my racy lingerie. I smiled happily to myself; Dimitri didn't know what he was in for. I bit my lip excitedly as I opened the door to the house.

My first instinct was to be on high alert. Someone was in here. Cooking. I relaxed a little. Strigoi wouldn't be cooking in the house. My first thought was either Mia or Ayeshah – I knew they enjoyed cooking, but why would they be cooking at our place when theirs was just next door? Maybe they were planning on a surprise? I left my bag near the door and inched quietly towards the kitchen.

'I thought you'd never be back,' a familiar voice said. Dimitri.

He turned to smile at me, all the while keeping an eye on whatever he was cooking. I looked at him stupidly for a second, not daring to believe that he was standing in front of me, in my kitchen, cooking. His eyes were warm and laughing and I wanted to drown in them.

'When did you…?' I stammered, walking towards him.

He put an arm around me and leaned down for a kiss. His lips felt so soft against mine and I felt like I had been burnt. He smelled so good – his usual aftershave, but it smelt like home to me. I wrapped my arms around him, feeling his hard body against mine, still having trouble believing that he was here.

He pulled his lips away from me and chuckled, 'I think dinner will burn if we don't stop,'

I grinned at him and gave him a quick peck on his lips, 'I thought you weren't coming till tomorrow!'

'I wanted to surprise you,' he grinned as he flipped the lamb chops, 'I arrived closer to noon and Lissa told me that you were out shopping with her so I thought I'd make you dinner,'

I wrapped my arms around him, 'Lissa was in on this?'

'Of course,' he chuckled, 'There was no other way I could get the rest out of the house so I can have you all to myself tonight,'

He winked mischievously at me and my heart fluttered with joy, 'Thank you,' I said as I buried my face in his chest. He felt so good.

'Wait,' I looked up at him, 'How did you get in?'

'You always keep a spare key under your welcome mat,' he said nonchalantly, as if it was obvious. I frowned at him, 'I had insisted to Lissa that it was a safe place for it, or did Lissa tell you that too?'

He laughed, 'I figured it out myself; I just know you that well,' he winked again and I felt myself melt inside.

'Oh, you're going to know me so much better,' I winked back at him, playing at his game. I saw his eyes flash hungrily as he grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him. His lips hovered teasingly above mine before he crushed my lips passionately. 'I'm looking forward to it,' he whispered seductively in between kisses and I shivered excitedly at the thought.

He eventually managed to plate dinner up, despite me constantly distracting him. He made lamb cutlets marinated in rosemary and garlic; buttered carrots and roast potatoes. It was delicious and I felt so lucky to have him cook for me. He had already laid the table before I arrived – two flickering candles stood in the middle of the dining table and a bottle of red wine stood to the side. I didn't think it was possible to be so full of joy. Dimitri had never struck me as the romantic type, more the powerful, warrior type, but tonight's dinner proved me otherwise.

We managed to keep our hands to ourselves all throughout dinner as I filled him in on what Lissa and I did today. He told me he starts guarding Christian on Monday, and that he's already moved into his room next door to mine. I told him my concerns about Lissa wearing herself thin with studying politics diligently, learning magic and planning her wedding; he updated me on the latest news with Alex – he had learned of Dimitri's transfer and had said he would be keeping a close eye on us. We talked about training and I volunteered to show him the training facilities – 'you'd be impressed with the gym,' I told him excitedly. We also talked about us, how we would make it work and how we wouldn't let our relationship interfere with our work. As the night progressed (well day really, but you know that already), and we slowly finished the wine, I grew increasingly aware of his presence. He helped me pile the dishes into the sink, and I insisted that I would clean up the day after. I wasn't about to waste time worrying about dishes tonight.

Always the gentleman, he said, 'Well, I better head off to bed,'

I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him towards me for a kiss. 'But I haven't thanked you for dinner,' I whispered into his lips. I ran my tongue along his bottom lip and gently bit it. He groaned and wrapped his arms around my waist tightly. I smiled into his kisses and slid my tongue inside his mouth to meet his. He let out a low growl of desire as he moved me towards the couch. I pulled him down on top of me and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He lowered his mouth to my neck and gently sucked on it. I gasped with pleasure as I melted in his arms. I arched my back to get closer to him and his hands snaked under my top. I burnt with desire as he continued his trail of kisses along my neck.

'Stay with me tonight,' I urged him as I ran my hands up and down his torso. He didn't need much convincing as he lifted me up easily and headed towards my bedroom. I wrapped my legs around him and we kissed all the way to my bedroom. I was silently grateful for cleaning it up the day before. I wanted to show him what I bought for him, so I told him to wait in bed whilst I headed towards the bathroom. He looked pleasantly confused and every bit a Russian God. I sighed happily at the sight of him on my bed as I closed the bathroom door. I quickly changed into my new bra and underwear. The panties barely covered me and I blushed at how small it was. I looked perfect, Dimitri would love it.

I strode slowly out of the bathroom. Dimitri was flipping through a magazine I had left on my bedside table but froze when he saw me. Desire swept across his face and I smiled triumphantly. His mouth was slightly open, and I knew he was drinking me in.

'The manager said I could be a model, do you think so?' I asked innocently, spinning around for him to see. I enjoyed teasing him, enjoyed seeing the look of pure desire on his face.

'No,' he let out a protective growl, his eyes sweeping across my body. I quivered excitedly under his intense gaze as I moved towards the bed. He reached out for me and pinned me to the bed, 'Call me selfish but I don't want to share this beauty with anyone,' he said hoarsely, before lowering his lips to mine. He ran his hands up and down my body and I shivered excitedly beneath him. I pulled his t-shirt off him and feasted my eyes on his tanned, toned body. I traced my fingers along his muscles, marveling at how strong and gentle he can be at the same time.

I flipped him over so I was straddling him. I ran a finger down his chest and felt him quiver beneath me. I grinned cheekily at him as I kissed him deeply. He held onto my hips as I grounded myself against his groin. He growled at me, 'Roza…'

I laughed and his eyes flashed. He flipped me over and was on top of me again. He lowered his lips to the top of my breasts and kissed them. Blood rushed to my head and I was giddy with desire. He unhooked my bra with one hand, and quickly discarded it on the floor. He sucked on my right nipple. I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming with pleasure. He flicked his tongue on it and I felt like I would crumble in his hands. I reached out for his jeans and fumbled with the buttons as he continued to inflict pleasure on my body.

His pants came off quickly and I could see his arousal through his boxer shorts. I was wet and ready for him and I wanted him more than anything. I accidentally grazed my teeth against his nipple once, and he groaned deeply. I smiled to myself, knowing that it was what brought him pleasure. So I went for it again and he gripped onto my hips tighter. He was positioned between my legs and all that separated us were a few flimsy pieces of fabric.

He murmured some Russian words seductively into my ear and though I didn't know what it meant, I shook with desire, pulling him closer towards me. He looked into my eyes as he pulled my panties off and discarded his boxers. My heart pumped with adrenaline and love, it was finally going to happen. I was finally going to give myself to him. 'I love you, Roza,' Dimitri's voice was thick with desire.

'I love you too, more than you know,' I said, looking into his brown eyes. He kissed me softly and I felt him ease himself into me. I knew he was fighting for self control – his fists were clenched and his back muscles were tensed as he tried not to hurt me. His tenderness made me want him more and I wrapped my legs around him, bringing him closer to me.

I felt a sharp pain and I gasped at the intrusion. Dimitri paused and looked at me, 'Did I hurt you?'

I shook my head and smiled at him as I gradually got used to feeling him inside me. He filled me up completely and I never felt happier. He kissed me deeply as he slowly started to move inside me again. He groaned and said something in Russian again and I felt myself getting wetter with each movement he made inside of me. My nipples brushed against his chest and I ached with desire. Soon, he picked up pace and I felt myself tense up. I felt like I was about to burst. I dug my fingernails into his back as he thrusted in and out of me. Waves of ecstasy suddenly overcame me and I felt myself tighten around him. He groaned loudly and I screamed his name in pleasure. He sought his release around the same time as I did, biting into my shoulder, shouted my name and quivered as he collapsed on me. We lay shaking in each other's arms for a minute before he lifted himself off me. I was filled with so much love for this man, I didn't think it was possible.

'Did I hurt you?' Dimitri asked again, concern washed over his face.

I grinned at him, 'Are you kidding?'

He looked relieved as he kissed me, 'You're so beautiful it hurts,'

'Ditto,' I said, smiling at him. He had propped himself up on one hand as he looked down on me. He was achingly sexy. He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, 'I love you so much, Roza,'

I propped myself up on my elbows and kissed him, 'I love you too,'

He pulled me in closer to him and wrapped his arms around me as we continued to kiss. Our tongues battled each other and I felt my heart rate begin to rise again. He must've felt the same because soon, he was tracing his fingers along my back, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine. His hand lingered dangerously close to my sex as I felt myself open to him in desire. He plunged a finger into me and I gasped loudly. He lowered his mouth to my nipples as he fingered me. I squirmed under him, not knowing what he was doing to me, but enjoying every moment of it. I ran my fingers through his hair and tugged at them – I was overcome with a need for release and that was when I felt it again. The waves of ecstasy wracked through my body as I arched my body towards Dimitri. I felt myself clamp against his fingers as I moaned his name over and over again. Just when I thought it was over, he plunged himself into me, driving me once again to the point of no return. He gripped my ass as he lifted me towards him. I felt him enter me deeper and I gasped at how good he felt. He smiled seductively at me as he thrusted himself in and out of me. I felt my hips start to bruise under his grip but I loved how it felt. I grabbed his fingers and sucked on them erotically, running my tongue up and down them. It undid him as I felt him tense up. I felt him spill into me as I experienced my fourth orgasm that night.

We were both panting heavily. 'You're insatiable,' he teased as he held my body against his. I could hear his heart racing; as I was sure he could hear mine.

'I didn't know it would be this good,'

'And if you did?' he cocked an eyebrow at me. He looked irresistible and I battled the urge to kiss him again.

'I would've demanded that you came to Melbourne earlier,' I was giddy with pleasure.

He laughed and flipped me on top of him. I lay on his chest, listening to our hearts beating together as he stroked my back. I gradually felt sleep take over me as I smiled contentedly to myself – I was the happiest girl on Earth.

I woke up the following afternoon feeling on top of the world. It was 4 in the afternoon, and Lissa, Christian and the rest of the Morois must still be asleep due to the extended daylight hours of summer. I turned on my side and saw that the bed was empty. Panic filled me. Last night couldn't have been a dream, could it? I looked down at myself. I was naked. I pulled the sheets up to my chest and looked around the room. I peered over the edge of my bed and saw Dimitri's discarded t-shirt. I let out a sigh of relief – it wasn't a dream. I grinned to myself and pulled his t-shirt on; it barely covered my ass but I loved the smell of him on me. Lissa had sent me a text message, saying that they're all staying over at Adrian's because they didn't want to disturb us. I grinned at my phone, and quickly wrote a thank you back.

I headed towards the kitchen and I heard Dimitri making breakfast – I was more than lucky, maybe there was no need for me to learn how to cook after all. Dimitri was shirtless and was only wearing his boxers. His broad back was turned towards me and as he flipped the eggs in the pan, I saw his back muscles contract and relax accordingly. He was breathtakingly sexy. I hugged him from behind and he chuckled, 'Decided to finally get up?'

'I had a good dream,' I said, trying to justify sleeping in.

'What did you dream about?'

'Wouldn't you like to know?' I flashed him a cheeky grin and gave him a quick kiss. He growled seductively, 'If it's anything like mine…'

But I didn't let him finish. We locked lips and our tongues battled as I ran my fingers up and down his back. I felt him tense underneath me, and I wanted a re-enactment of our late night activities. His hands lifted the t-shirt up slightly as he went to cup my bottom. I squealed with delight and arched towards him as he held me against him. I ran my fingers down his chest and dipped them teasingly into his shorts. He bit my lip and slid his tongue into my mouth. I sucked his tongue erotically and he groaned loudly. His hands moved up my body towards my breasts and he playfully grazed his fingers on my nipples. I gasped with pleasure and pressed myself harder against him.

He lifted me up onto the counter top and I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer towards me. The feel of cool marble of the counter top against my naked ass aroused me further. I eased his boxers off him with my toes, all the while never letting my lips leave his. I felt his arousal hover dangerously close to my centre and I grew wetter with desire. My breathing quickened as he pressed himself into me slowly and soon, I had him buried inside me. I moaned loudly and arched my back with pleasure. He gripped my ass tightly, pulling out of me before plunging deeply into me again. I gasped at the size of him, lifting myself to meet his thrusts, feeling him fill me. Dimitri lowered his face to my breasts and started sucking on one of my nipples. I pressed my heels against his back as he drove himself into me. We soon got into a fierce rhythm; more urgent, more desperate than last night's lovemaking. He reached down to rub my clit as he plunged himself into me again and again. I cried out his name in pleasure as I felt myself tense up. I had never felt so aroused. I felt myself tighten around him as he drove into me and I drove my heels harder into his back to pull him deeper inside of me. I felt the blood rush from my brain as I came all over him, moaning his name over and over again, trembling in his arms. I heard him groan loudly as he shot himself into me, gripping my ass harder as he buried himself completely in me.

His heart was beating wildly as he held me in his arms; my legs were still wrapped around him and he was still buried inside me. I brushed his wet hair out of his face. I loved the combined smells of sleep, sweat and sex on him. I was surprised that it only aroused me more. 'You're amazing,' I whispered into his ear, gently nipping at one of his ear lobes. 'Oh Roza, you're more than amazing,' he said thickly, lifting his head up to kiss me.

We quickly became aware of the smell of burnt eggs. Dimitri laughed as he disentangled himself from me, pulling his boxers back on. I pulled his t-shirt over me and helped him scrape the burnt eggs from the pan.

'Oh well, there goes breakfast,' he said forlornly as he helped me clean the dishes. I kissed him lightly, 'I already had the best breakfast,' before winking at him. He grinned at me and shook his head, possibly amazed at how much I enjoyed sex with him. Who wouldn't? He was a God, as talented in bed as he was fighting Strigoi.

He slapped my ass playfully and told me to go shower so we can try and grab breakfast out instead. I was about to head off to the bathroom when we heard the front door open and Lissa barged in, yelling out for me. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Dimitri and I, barely clothed. She blushed furiously and covered her eyes. 'Why do I always get into these circumstances?' she lamented, eyes slammed shut.

I laughed at her, 'It's what you get for not knocking,' In truth, we should probably have known better than to get all hot and heavy in a shared space.

'I've been calling you a million times! You haven't been answering and the boys were getting hungry for breakfast!' she defended, still covering her eyes, 'Are you guys clothed yet?'

I laughed as Dimitri retreated to my bedroom to pull his jeans on. I was still wearing his t-shirt so he strolled out, half naked. Just looking at his tanned, muscular body was enough to arouse me but Lissa was here so I saved the thought for later.

'Besides, why does it smell like burnt eggs?' Lissa demanded, 'God Rose, I didn't think you were this bad at cooking,'

Dimitri and I laughed knowingly and Lissa dared to lower her hands to look at us. She blushed furiously as she realized what had happened.

'Hey, you were in on this whole surprise too, so you can't complain,' I teased.

Lissa's eyes widened with excitement. _Did you wear it?_ She asked through our bond. I knew what she was referring to; she would be too shy to ask it out loud, especially in front of Dimitri. I grinned and nodded at her. Dimitri looked at the both of us and figured that we must be communicating through our bond.

_Did he like it?_ Lissa asked again, barely containing her excitement. Dimitri raised an eyebrow at her. I laughed and nodded again.

_How much?_

'How much did you like what I wore yesterday? Lissa picked it,' I asked Dimitri and Lissa blushed a deep crimson. _Don't ask him!_

Dimitri let out a loud laugh as he realized what we were talking about. He ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, suddenly becoming shy. 'A lot,' I replied for him, winking at Lissa and she grinned happily.

'You have good taste, Princess,' Dimitri said shyly and Lissa blushed again, 'its Lissa, Guardian Belikov,'

He grinned at her, 'its Dimitri, Lissa,'

She beamed at him. Lissa had finally made her peace with Dimitri and it felt wonderful. I dragged Dimitri towards the bathroom and said to Lissa, 'We need to shower; we'll meet you at Adrian's soon,'

'Don't be too long,' Lissa said knowingly.

'I'll try,' I gave her a wicked grin and she shook her head in disbelief, before turning to head out of my apartment.

There was no way Dimitri and I were going to keep our hands off each other in the shower. We lathered each other up in soap and soon enough, he was plunging himself into me again. I loved the way he filled me up and the slickness of the water added to my arousal. We came much quicker this time, as we knew Lissa was waiting for us. I loved being naked around him; Dimitri made me feel like the most beautiful woman on Earth and that he only had eyes for me. I loved the way he teased and tempted me, bringing me over and over again close to the edge only to pull back just in time, before driving me to the same point and pulling back again. It was only when he was satisfied that he'd aroused me enough, that he would drive me past the point of no return, making me scream his name over and over again.

We quickly got dressed and made our way next door to Adrian's. I told Dimitri that we haven't been out in Melbourne much because of Lissa's busy training schedule. 'That leaves more for you and I to explore together,' he said, smiling at me. Have I said that I love this man?

When we arrived at Adrian's, Lissa had already made blueberry pancakes for us. I wolfed my pancakes down – I was starving. Christian walked into the kitchen halfway through our breakfast, 'Hey! Look who's here!'

Dimitri smiled and politely said, 'Good evening, Ozera,'

Christian rolled his eyes at Dimitri, 'Do you always have to be so formal?'

'As long as you're my charge,' Dimitri said solemnly. I laughed – Dimitri was always so serious when it came to his job. Christian rolled his eyes again and sat himself next to Lissa, 'How's my aunt?'

'She's very well. We managed to find a Guardian for her just in time, which was very lucky, considering the extremely short notice. I promised I'd keep in touch with her over the next few weeks to find out how she's adjusting to her new Guardian and if she has any problems with him,'

Christian nodded and pulled Lissa in for a quick kiss. A part of me flared up with jealousy, but I told myself to stop being ridiculous – Dimitri had just transferred to Court; Tasha had just assisted him in transferring. I had nothing to worry about.

'So when are you guys telling Tatiana about the date?' I asked, fiddling with the bottom of my jeans. I was sitting cross legged on one of the chairs.

'_Queen_ Tatiana, Rose,' Dimitri said sternly. I tried to raise an eyebrow at him, but I must have failed because he raised an eyebrow at me instead. I made a face at him, 'Who cares,'

'It's not like she doesn't know, besides if we have it in Melbourne, she doesn't have to be invited,' Christian said. Not inviting the Queen. My eyes widened; this was going to be interesting. I looked over at Lissa and could tell that she was nervous.

'Let's not think about that first,' I said, 'Firefly why don't you help out with the wedding too, Lissa has enough on her plate,'

Christian scowled at me and Lissa looked away, silently thankful for my intervention. I was annoyed at Christian's lack of involvement with the planning of their wedding. I was looking at a week full of scouting for wedding venues, drawing up the guest list, finding flowers, finding bridesmaid dresses and finding Lissa's wedding dress. Christian was looking at a week of playing Wii and Play Station 3 with Adrian, Eddie, Dimitri and David.

'Alright, what can I do?' Christian huffed.

I shrugged, 'What do you think I am? Wedding planner extraordinaire?'

'Why don't you quit being smart for once Hathaway and answer my question?'

'Alright, you find the venue,' I grinned. He groaned. I knew Dimitri was silently groaning too – I could see it in his face. 'But doesn't Lissa need to approve of it too?' Christian insisted.

I looked over at Lissa and she smiled sheepishly at me. I groaned, 'Liss!'

Christian whooped, 'You're coming with us, Hathaway!'

I narrowed my eyes at him and chucked a spoon at him, which he easily dodged, 'Looks like I'm as good as a Dhampir,'

'Our reflexes come from Morois you idiot,' I shot back. Lissa and Dimitri laughed out loud, and Christian scowled at me. Looks like I learned something from school after all.

It was then that Adrian sauntered into the kitchen, 'Morning kiddos,'

'Look who's talking,' Christian snapped. Adrian looked at him, 'What's up with you?'

I shrugged, 'Time of the month,'

Adrian let out a laugh. His smile faded when he saw Dimitri, 'well, well, look who's here,'

'Prince Ivashkov,' Dimitri nodded curtly at Adrian.

'Guardian Belikov,' Adrian eyed him warily. They looked like two lions eyeing each other up, measuring each other's strength, seeing if it's wise to pounce.

'Alright, we're going,' I announced, getting up from my chair, trying to dissipate the tension between Adrian and Dimitri.

'But I just got here!' Adrian whined, 'You're not going to ditch me with these two loved up ones,' indicating Christian and Lissa, who had their arms around each other.

'Rose is pretty loved up these days,' Lissa offered, grinning at me. I blushed crimson and saw Dimitri try to hide a small smile. Adrian looked like he was going to throw up, 'God, people! I need a girlfriend,'

'Might help if you stop drinking and smoking,' I offered. He made a face at me, 'love me as I am,'

'You know I love you, Adrian,' I said cheekily and he shot me a puppy dog expression. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dimitri stiffen with jealousy. 'Alright, we need to go. I still need to show Dimitri the stomping grounds,' I said, pulling Dimitri along with me, 'See you tomorrow, Liss – don't worry too much about the wedding,'

'Be good, Rose,' Lissa winked at me and I grinned back at her, shaking my head in disbelief. She was now openly encouraging my relationship with Dimitri when it was only a week ago that she had made us promise to stay away from each other. Once we were out of Adrian's house, I turned to Dimitri, wrapped my arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips, 'I only love you,' hoping he understood that I was trying to reassure him about Adrian.

He kissed me back and smiled, relief spread across his face, 'and I you,'

I grinned at him and reached out for his hand. With our fingers intertwined, we walked towards St. Basile's gym, swimming pool and running track. He was impressed at the size of everything and the facilities that were available. I suggested that we train together every morning, a suggestion that he quickly agreed to. 'I don't know about swimming though,' he said skeptically.

I grinned at him. Finally something I was better at, 'I'll teach you, don't worry,'

He laughed, 'and so our roles are reversed,'

'Don't worry,' I said, smiling seductively at him, 'there are many things I want you to teach me,'

He growled sexily at me, grabbing my waist and pulling me towards him. 'Why don't we start lessons tonight?' he whispered in my ear, his breath tickling me, igniting my arousal.

'Bring it on,' I said, my voice husky with desire. I kissed him slowly and seductively before pulling away. I heard him groan in disappointment as I pulled away. I smiled cheekily at him; I loved teasing him. His eyes were smoldering with longing and I wanted nothing more than to retire to our house with him. After what seemed like eternity, he released me from his arms and said, 'there'll be more of that soon,'

I felt my heart rate rise with anticipation. I couldn't wait.

**Did you like it? Was it too racy? I'd love to hear from you guys! x  
**


	13. Chapter 12

**Hi guys, I loved all your reviews! They really made me smile, and I tried to incorporate some of the suggestions into this chapter :) I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter, and most of you didn't find it too racy. There's another racy bit towards the end of this chapter, just to give you all a bit of a heads up - again, rated M for a reason! I struggled to write this a little bit, because it's more of a fill in chapter, rather than anything terribly important. Nonetheless, I've tried to develop a few relationships a little! I'm not very good at concentrating on everyone else's lives aside from R&D - sorry! I'll try to work in a bit more of everyone else's story, but really, it's about R&D (i.e., I haven't really developed strong plots for everyone else - sorry! - but if you have any ideas, please feel free to send some my way!). I am, however, working towards hooking Adrian up with someone special. I have a vague idea, but nothing too concrete just yet, so watch this space. Anyway, I haven't had the time to proof read this chapter, so my apologies if it seems a little choppy/full of errors.**

**The usual disclaimers apply, and lastly, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you did the others. :)**

**Chapter 12**

**Rose's Point of View**

My life couldn't get any better. Despite having separate bedrooms, Dimitri and I were always together. Always the professional, Dimitri insisted on maintaining our distance when we were out in public. 'You don't know what the rules are like over here,' he explained when I started to get annoyed at him for rejecting any of my public displays of affection. I would stalk off huffily, but I really didn't mind; it was really just a ploy to get him to make it up to me. Shh, don't tell him! Besides, there was enough action that went on behind closed doors to make up for the lack of it when we're out in public. Our close circle of friends knew about us, and that was all that mattered.

The Morois were slowly improving in refining their magical skills. Adrian once complained to Macca about not learning anything offensive, and Macca gave them a lecture about how their basic skills were so elementary that they should not dream of doing offensive magic until much later on. Christian was crushed. Adrian had learned how to heal a dead plant by now, and Lissa was increasingly able to read auras. She has appeared in my dreams once or twice, but always as a blurry vision, as opposed to the real-life detail of Adrian's dream walking. I believe that if anyone was close to learning offensive magic, it would be Christian, although I would never tell Lissa that. He was able to conjure up fire dragons that did his bidding for 5 minutes. They started off as small burst of flames, but gradually, across time, took shape as dragons. No one knows why they're dragons – my theory is that he plays too many slaying dragon computer games and it's now entered his subconscious. Christian thinks it's a stupid theory, but he couldn't come up with anything better, so I guess my theory stands.

When Alberta first learned that Dimitri and I were back together, she turned her sternest look on him and demanded a chat. I laughed at this, and said to him, 'now how do you like it when someone else gives you that look!'

He gave me a withering look, which made me laugh harder and flashed him two thumbs up as he plodded outside for his 'chat'. When I asked him about it, he became all secretive and didn't want to disclose anything that went on between him and Alberta. I finally wormed it out of him though – he couldn't resist my charms! – and was glad to know that despite having a mother who was absent for most of my life, I had an older woman looking out for me. It didn't matter that for the most part, I could look out for myself. The point was that someone else cared. And it made me see Alberta in a different light.

On a few occasions, we encountered a few Strigoi, but never anything we couldn't handle. Dimitri continued to receive letters from Alex. Somehow, he's found out that Dimitri and I are together. I found it extremely disconcerting to know that he's either been spying on us, though I can't imagine how, or has been getting information about us from someone. Dimitri has grown increasingly protective over me because he believes that I'll be the one Alex will try to target first. I scoffed at this, 'Haven't you seen me kick ass?'

Dimitri couldn't help but smile at this. He knew how good I was, 'I have; but I just want you to be careful too,' It always frustrated him when I brushed his warnings off; he has always been a lot less reckless than I have, choosing to step back whilst I charged forward.

'Rose,' Dimitri warned seriously. We were taking a walk through a park, a few minutes away from where we lived. We could see the sky start to light up. 'I'm serious. Alex's letters have become increasingly frequent. It usually means that he's near, and he'll strike anytime,' Dimitri squeezed my hand for effect.

'Dimitri,' I rolled my eyes at him. We've had this talk so many times. 'I…'

I was cut off by some voices in the distance. I brought my fingers to my lips and motioned for Dimitri to keep quiet. He did that quirky eyebrow thing that made him look irresistible. My heart leaped in my chest as I admired how handsome he was.

'Are… Are you free tomorrow night?' a male voice said. I spun around and crept closer to the sound of voices. It sounded like Eddie.

Dimitri and I crouched behind some bushes and peered through them. Sure enough, Eddie was sitting on a bench next to Mia, with his back turned to us.

Mia laughed her tinkling laugh. 'Are you trying to ask me out?' she flirted mercilessly. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from giggling and giving myself away.

'Well…' Eddie ran his hand through his hair nervously. I could imagine him blushing. Mia was clearly enjoying putting him through this.

'Do you know that this is the first time you've asked me out?' Mia giggled. Eddie shifted uncomfortably and mumbled an apology. Mia laughed and shoved him playfully, 'I was just teasing!'

Eddie kept quiet, probably stewing in a pot of embarrassment. After some time, Mia said quietly, 'I'd love to go out tomorrow night,'

I couldn't keep the grin off my face and I felt Dimitri's lips silently touch my cheeks. It filled me with warmth and so did the scene unfolding in front of me. Eddie turned to face Mia and smiled happily at her. She leaned in for a kiss, and mumbled against his lips, 'Would you like to walk me home?'

Eddie chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, 'I would like to do nothing better,'

I slowly, silently retreated away from them. 'Aren't they cute?' I whispered to Dimitri once I made sure we were out of earshot.

He laughed, 'Aren't you a busybody?'

I stuck my tongue out at him, 'I want them to be as happy as I am!'

Dimitri's smile reached his eyes and I wrapped my arms around him. I love our early morning walks.

...

'Hey Eddie!' Christian called out as Eddie came into our house for breakfast the next day.

'Morning,' Eddie said cheerfully, as he sat himself down. Lissa served up bacon and eggs for Dimitri, Eddie, Alberta and I.

'Well aren't you cheerful,' Christian commented as he flipped through the newspaper.

'Things are good,' Eddie said mysteriously as he cut into his bacon.

Christian looked at him suspiciously, before he slammed the newspaper on the table and half-yelled, 'She said yes!'

Eddie blushed a deep crimson.

'Oh my God, did she?' Lissa squealed. I bit my lip down to suppress the smile creeping up. Eddie nodded shyly and Lissa squealed even louder as she ran over to hug him.

'It's taken you long enough, dude,' Christian commented.

'Yeah that's kinda what she said,' Eddie said self-consciously.

'Well, it's quite obvious that you two have something going on,' I contributed, 'Everyone could see what was happening!'

'Was I that obvious?'

'Why did you think we always gave you and Mia such a wide berth whenever we could?' I said, chowing down on my eggs.

Alberta laughed. 'You young people and your love lives,' she said, as she stood up to wash her dishes, 'Enjoy it whilst you can,' she added sagely, and I swore she gave Dimitri a look. I squeezed Dimitri's thigh under the table and he smiled back at me.

We were suddenly interrupted by Adrian bursting through the door, saying, 'Alright guys, I have next week's timetable from Macca! We're fighting!'

'You know, I'm seriously starting to worry about Adrian constantly barging through our house,' Christian commented.

'What's your problem with it?' Adrian demanded, his hand holding a sheet of paper that undoubtedly contained the Moroi's training timetable.

'Well, you see… We could be in the middle of something private,' Christian argued.

'Like what?' Adrian was incredulous.

'Use your imagination!' Christian shot back.

'Oh guys, that's just gross,' Adrian squirmed and slammed the piece of paper on the table. There was a hell of a lot of slamming going on this morning, 'Anyway, I am finally going to be moving on to dabbling in some high-end Spirit stuff,'

We all listened attentively. Once he was satisfied that he had captured our attention, Adrian went on, 'Macca is _finally_ satisfied with my dream walking abilities, so he has agreed to teach me how to permeate Strigoi's dreams, and I'm hoping that eventually, that will lead to me kicking some Strigoi ass in their dream and somehow destroying them. I haven't figured that part out yet, and Macca isn't letting anything on but I'm damn excited!'

'Is that even possible?' Lissa asked, 'I didn't even know Strigois could dream,'

'You learn something new every day,' Adrian winked at her, obviously chuffed at his latest advancement.

'So when do the rest of us get to do something cool?' Christian asked jealously.

'Calm down, even though I am clearly Macca's favourite,' Adrian started, which lead to much eye rolling around the table, 'He hasn't forgotten about all you mere mortals. Lissa, he wants you to concentrate on dream walking; he reckons that it's probably the safest way for us to contribute to the fight against Strigoi at the moment, aside from the obvious healing stuff. Christian, basically it's just about setting more things on fire,'

Christian narrowed his eyes. Adrian was clearly messing with him and enjoying it, 'Okay, okay, yours is actually pretty cool. He wants to spend a day or two on controlling your fire – so controlling the release so you don't burn out so quickly – yes pun intended!' Adrian chuckled at his own joke, 'And then he wants to move on to working up your stamina, so producing more fire with less effort. Basically he's going to give you a whole lot of shit to burn,'

'Sweet,' Christian grinned, as he spontaneously conjured up a ball of fire. I instinctively scooted away from him. He tossed the ball between both hands, and spun it around like it was a basketball. Lissa looked on, enthralled.

'Show off,' Adrian scowled.

'Anyway,' Adrian continued, getting back to business, 'Where's Mia? Macca seems to think that Mia's strength lies more in her interest in combat than in her element, so is thinking of asking one of you guys,' he gestured at myself, Alberta, Dimitri and Eddie, 'to take her into the gym,'

'No that's not going to happen,' Eddie piped up, 'She's much safer using her element than combating. She doesn't have the strength of Dhampirs,'

'Looks like I'm not the only one who's over-protective,' Dimitri whispered in my ear. I turned to smile at him, and gave him a quick peck on the lips. He grinned at me. His eyes crinkled at the side, and I noticed that there were lighter specks of brown in his deep brown eyes.

'Oi! Get a room!' Adrian interrupted rudely, and I turned to scowl at him. Dimitri draped an arm around me and raised an eyebrow at him. Adrian raised an eyebrow back and I nearly laughed out loud. It was comical to see the two of them still at odds with each other.

'Anyway Castile,' Adrian said, taking charge again, 'If you have a problem with it, go speak to Macca about it. I'm only conveying the message. Alright, that's all from me folks,'

'Thank goodness,' Christian said drily.

'Oh grow up,' Adrian threw back at Christian, 'I'm going to head off now; I've got a lovely lady waiting for me,'

'Oh my God! Tell!' I said excitedly.

'Oh don't get too excited. She's hot, she wants me – but I mean, who wouldn't?' we all rolled our eyes at him again and he continued, 'And I'm going to get some action, which is all that matters at this point in time,'

There was a look of disgust on Lissa's face. 'Oh Lissa don't worry, I'll try not to break her heart,' Adrian winked at her and grinned handsomely.

'Can't you develop something a bit more substantial?' Lissa pleaded.

'What's the difference? I'm not interested in a relationship. I'm sure she's not either, so we're just out to have a bit of fun,' Adrian wiggled his eyebrows. I felt Dimitri's hand tighten around me protectively. He must have been thinking of a time when Adrian was pursuing me and Dimitri was convinced that it was just to make another notch in his bed post.

'Anyway, if you'll excuse me…' Adrian gave a low bow and let himself out of our house.

'I should go get ready too,' Eddie said, standing up. We all cheered him as he left, no doubt, eager to escape our teasing.

'Well, I guess that leaves just us,' I said, 'any plans for a Saturday evening?'

'I was thinking of hiring a small gondola boat, and cruising down the Yarra,' Lissa suggested. The Yarra flows through the middle of Melbourne's city, and possibly in an attempt to cash in on the tourist industry, they have introduced gondolas, much like those in Venice. It sounded incredibly romantic and I was looking forward to sharing some romance with Dimitri. We quickly agreed and I sped upstairs to change. I pulled on a black tube top and a pair of light blue denim jeans. I brushed on some make up and I was ready to go.

'You look beautiful,' Dimitri whispered in my hair as he pulled me close. 'Thanks, you're looking pretty handsome yourself,' I winked at him and he kissed me hungrily.

'PG 13 please!' Christian interrupted as we walked out of the door.

Dimitri and I decided to take Dimitri's motorbike, whilst Christian, Lissa and Alberta went in Christian's car. Dimitri bought his motorbike a few weeks after arriving in Melbourne, saying that he always wanted to own one, but when he was guarding Tasha, was made to drive a car instead because she apparently wouldn't get on a bike. I didn't think I would like the idea of her wrapping her arms around Dimitri as he sped about anyway, so I was silently grateful that she wasn't a fan of motorbikes. I didn't think Dimitri could get any sexier, until the day I saw him with his shiny black motorbike, and leather jacket on. We nearly got carried away in the garage! Thank God no one was home!

Southbank was rocking by the time we arrived to get to our gondolas. It was loud, the people were beautiful, and there was music everywhere. I was definitely in my element. Dimitri, Alberta and I did a quick scan of the surroundings for any lurking Strigoi before we allowed ourselves to relax a little. Alberta kept a constant look out as she encouraged us young ones to enjoy the night. I always thought that it must suck to always have a constant chaperone around you on dates, but I really didn't mind having Alberta around. She seemed to have the ability to fade into the background, yet always keeping an eye out.

We finally boarded our gondolas – Christian and Lissa took one; whilst Dimitri and I took another. Alberta decided to hop on a third one, just so she can keep a better eye out on us.

We sailed slowly past the glittering lights of Melbourne. It sure wasn't Venice, but it was nice enough. Dimitri tilted my head towards him and kissed me lightly, 'I love you, Roza,'

I smiled and kissed him back, 'I love you too,'

In the distance, Christian and Lissa were cuddling up to each other. He whispered something in her ear and she threw her head back in laughter. I smiled. This was perfect. I didn't know what I had done to deserve it but I sure as hell was enjoying every minute of it!

Dimitri draped his arms around me and smiled into the distance, 'I can see us doing this for the rest of our lives. I can't imagine this with anyone else. You make me incredibly happy Roza,'

My heart fluttered as I turned to look at him. The shadows played on his face, highlighting his strong jaw. I leaned in to kiss his jawline. He reeked of pure masculinity and power. 'I don't want to be anywhere else but right here with you,' I whispered.

He turned to look at me, 'Roza, I would be the happiest man in the world if I could spend the rest of my life with you,' he reached into his pocket and my heart pounded faster. Was he trying to hint at something? Was he…? I didn't dare imagine it. It would be a dream come true and yet I had to know, 'Are you…'

But I was distracted by a slightly nauseating feeling. I shook my head. We were out in the middle of the river. There wouldn't be Strigoi around. 'Roza, what's wrong?' Dimitri asked, concerned at the change in my expression.

'I feel… I feel sick,' I managed to choke up. The feeling was getting stronger. It can't be. Not when it was going to be the best night of my life!

'What? Why?' Dimitri asked, concerned.

'Is everything alright sir?' our boatman asked.

'No, can you get us back please, she's not feeling well,' Dimitri said and our gondola started to head back.

All of a sudden, our gondola was overturned and I could hear screaming everywhere. One sounded like Lissa and I tried my best to block her out whilst I tried to calm myself enough to not drown. _Dimitri!_ I yelled in my head as I fought back the bitter taste at the back of my throat. I swam under the overturned gondola and saw red eyes flashing at me in the murky distance. _The fuckers!_

It was good thing I had learned to swim because I swam as fast and as hard as I could away from the Strigoi. I finally resurfaced and looked around frantically for Dimitri. He was already fighting a Strigoi a few meters away. I swam towards him but was dragged down into the water by another Strigoi. I kicked down hard and managed to land a blow to his face. I scanned the distance for Lissa and saw that Alberta had already managed to get onto Christian and Lissa's boat and was already directing them back to land. I continued to swim towards Dimitri and reached him just in time to help him stake his Strigoi. A pool of red blood surrounded us.

'We need to get to shore,' I stated the obvious and we both swam frantically towards the banks of the Yarra. As we were swimming, Dimitri was dragged underwater by another Strigoi. This time, it was Alex. I swam after them and pulled at Alex's hair. He screamed underwater and made a swipe at me, which managed to catch my stomach. It stung like crazy. Dimitri pulled out his stake and was just about to stake him from behind when Alex quickly moved to the side and Dimitri only caught his arm. Alex's red eyes flashed angrily as he delivered a strong kick to Dimitri's stomach, winding him, before swimming off in a flash.

Dimitri and I quickly swam to shore, where we were met by Lissa, Christian and Alberta. Lissa quickly healed my bleeding stomach whilst Dimitri tried to catch his breath. He had a haunted look in his eyes, and I had a feeling that after our close call with Alex, we wouldn't be repeating tonight's activities.

'Are you okay?' I asked when we finally reached home and changed out of our wet clothes. Dimitri was sitting on his bed, staring off in the distance.

He smiled at me, 'Yeah I am. I was just thinking,'

'What were you thinking about?' I asked, as I took my place beside him. He put an arm around me and pulled me towards him.

'I have everything I could possibly wish for. I have you, and you make me so happy,' Dimitri said, with a wisp of melancholy in his voice, 'It makes me realize how much more I have to lose,'

'You're not going to lose me,' I chuckled. Was this what he was brooding over?

'Alex…' he started.

'Oh,' I realized. Tonight's encounter would only serve to fuel his paranoia.

'Are you having regrets about us?' I asked testily.

'No,' he said almost immediately, 'Never. You're the best thing that could have ever happened to me. It's just that now that I have you, it makes me more conscious about losing you. I could never live with that,'

I smiled and kissed him seductively, 'You'll never lose me, I promise you,'

'Mm…' he smiled into my kisses and wrapped his arms around me, 'I really would be the happiest man in the world if you spent the rest of your life with me,' he repeated his sentiments, but whilst my heart pounded in anticipation, no ring came. And though I was slightly disappointed, Dimitri quickly made me forget about it as the night went on.

...

_A few months later_

Lissa and Christian decided about a month ago that they would like to have their wedding in Melbourne. Lissa argued that it would be more intimate as they obviously wouldn't be able to fly out the whole royal Moroi population, and as they wanted to stay longer to learn more magic, it was a lot more practical to have their wedding in Melbourne. I quietly rejoiced at this because it meant I wouldn't have to see Tatiana. I was going to be in charge of Lissa's hen's night, and Adrian was in charge of Christian's buck's night. Lissa was absolutely horrified at the idea of Adrian being in charge. Adrian promised he would be good, but neither of us believed him. Dimitri tried to make me promise that I wouldn't plan anything too raunchy for Lissa, but I think he was secretly more worried about me. 'It's her last night as a single woman!' I protested, already planning strippers and lap dances for Lissa.

'Doesn't mean it has to involve strippers and lap dances,' Dimitri had already second-guessed my intention.

I sulked, 'But it's tradition; besides, I bet Adrian will drag you boys to some seedy strip club anyway! And you'll be surrounded by all these beautiful women, tempting you to take them to bed,'

'But I will only have eyes for you,' he chuckled, reaching out to play with my ponytail. I made a face at him and promised him nothing. It was Friday night and we were huddled up on the sofa, watching TV. There wasn't anything interesting; we had it on just for the hell of it. Lissa, Christian and Alberta had gone across to Mia's place to finalize and mail out wedding invitations. Dimitri was surfing the internet on his laptop, looking at cowboy books on Amazon. 'Can you believe this? Humans can be so ridiculous sometimes; they're currently crazy over some vampire book some idiot wrote, and all the girls are swooning over this Edward Cullen guy,' Dimitri shook his head in disbelief, loading a picture of so-called Edward Cullen and turning his laptop around for me to see.

'He's a bit pale,' I scrunched my nose up; he didn't look anything like a vampire, Moroi, Strigoi _or_ Dhampir.

'He's wearing make up!' Dimitri said, as if it was blasphemous. I laughed and turned back to my magazine, flipping through it, catching up on the latest celebrity gossip. I saw 'Edward Cullen' in there again; the actor's Robert Pattinson, and there was a feature on him and his girlfriend, who was apparently his girlfriend on set as well. It must be nice to finally admit come out in the open about your relationship, I thought sadly. I quickly brushed that thought away – I had much to be thankful for, I get to be with Dimitri every day; I'm my best friend's Guardian, life can't be any better for me.

After a month of searching for an ideal location for the wedding, Christian and Lissa finally decided to have it at the Botanical Gardens. There was a large lake in the middle of the gardens with willow trees scattered around its banks. They now planned for a spring wedding, and hopefully there would be flowers everywhere and even swans in the lake. There was a small gazebo beside the lake where they would exchange their vows and the place was large enough to easily accommodate 100 guests. I do not know how 100 guests translates to 'intimate' to Lissa, but it was her wedding and there were a lot of people she still felt 'obliged' to invite, despite them having to fly halfway around the world! I had reluctantly become unofficial wedding planner for the two of them, but Mia had jumped in to help out whenever she could. Eddie and her have been going out for a while now, and he finally gave into her getting skilled in combat, rather than magic. Macca had picked from the very start that Mia was always much more passionate about learning self-defense than she was with learning how to bend water to her will.

'This is putting me off ever getting married,' I once groaned to Dimitri after a particularly long day spent shopping for wedding dresses with Lissa. He just gave me a funny look.

Once the invitations were sent off, and the RSVPs start rolling in, I would be stuck with the tedious task of sorting seating arrangements. This was tricky because it was going to be largely a Moroi event and Moroi events are always full of politics, which meant that I had to be careful not to sit X Moroi with Y Moroi. I hated it. I wasn't a Guardian for nothing. Give me Strigois to fight and I would be in my element, give me politics and all I would do is cringe. Nonetheless, Lissa was my best friend and I did agree to help her out.

Talking about Strigois, Alex did manage to stage a few more attacks on us, but we easily fought him off. There were many times when Dimitri was close to staking Alex, but missed, making me wonder if it was because of his decrease in objectivity when his best friend was involved. I didn't blame him for it – if Lissa ever turned Strigoi, God forbid, I think I would really struggle to drive that stake through her heart. I'm sure Dimitri struggled with the ethics of fighting his best friend every day.

...

It was 2 months before the wedding now and Lissa still hasn't found her dress yet. She was becoming increasingly hysterical about it. I once suggested that she should just invite Vera Wang over to the house and get her to design the damned dress. Lissa looked at me like I was an idiot and mumbled something about freaking Vera Wang out when she sees the fangs. I rolled my eyes at her, and said, 'no one asked you to bare your fangs at Vera Wang,' Lissa left the room huffily after that. She was seriously getting more emotional by the day.

As Lissa's big day drew closer and closer, I often caught myself wondering about what would have happened that night a few months ago, if Alex hadn't interfered. Was Dimitri about to ask me to marry him? Was I reading too much into it? Maybe he just bought me a really nice necklace? Despite all my musings, I never brought it up with him. I think a part of me was too scared to find out that it may not have been a proposal at all. Despite that, we were as close as ever, so I really didn't mind at all.

Aside from the venue, the dresses, the invitations and the damned seating arrangements, there was the cake, the food, the flowers, and the music to worry about as well. 'You're wearing yourself out,' Dimitri said one night, as I collapsed on my bed. He played with a strand of my hair as he leaned over me. 'This wasn't what I signed up for,' I sighed, rolling into his embrace. I breathed in his after shave. He smelt good and peace washed over me. Either my brain couldn't function when I was around him, or he just had a calming effect over me. I like to think it's the latter, but it could very well be the former too.

We finally found Lissa's dream dress a month before the wedding. It had never felt so relieved in my life. Her obsession with it was starting to drive me up the wall. It was Vera Wang, naturally. It had a tight fitting bodice that accentuated Lissa's slim figure and puffed out slightly into a princess-like skirt. The detail on the dress was incredible, with random, inconspicuous patterns of swirls and flowers hand sewn all around the bodice and skirt. I knew it would take Christian's breath away the minute I saw it on Lissa. Hell, it took my breath away. The skirt was naturally rumpled towards the bottom, but that only perfected the fairy-princess image.

Naturally, I was maid-of-honour. I read somewhere that the traditional roles of maids-of-honour and best men were to take the place of the bride or groom, if either one of them didn't show up. The thought of having to marry Christian repulsed me. I was not going beyond the call of duty in that case. I had long picked out the bridesmaid dresses. Mine was going to be turquoise – Dimitri lifted an eyebrow sexily at me when he saw it; the colour reminded us of the first night he arrived in Melbourne. I put it on for him one night and it hugged me perfectly, enhancing all the right curves and bringing out my tan beautifully. It was understated elegance; after all, I wouldn't want to steal the show from Lissa. The dress didn't stay on me for long that night, I had to remind Dimitri to be gentle and not rip it. The bridesmaid dresses were a pastel green. The rest of Lissa's bridal party were Mia and Ayeshah, and as they were both Morois, Lissa insisted that they wore a pastel green instead as it would look better against their pale skin.

Christian's bridal party consisted of Eddie, as his best man, and Dimitri and Adrian. The boys had already picked out their suits – Christian was going to be wear a black shirt and a white suit; the rest were wearing black suits, black shirts and a turquoise coloured tie. Being the perfectionist that she was, Lissa insisted that the colours had to match. I couldn't wait to see Dimitri in his suit. He insisted that I had to wait, which I thought was very unfair considering I already modeled my dress for him.

My main concern for the wedding was Strigoi attacks, and how I would be able to fight in heels. 'Maybe I should start training in heels,' I wondered out loud to Dimitri one night.

'Fighting in sneakers not challenging enough for you these days?' he joked.

'I'm always looking for ways to improve myself,' I laughed.

'You're already perfect,' he said tenderly, before leaning in to kiss me. I could never get tired of his kisses. We've been together for close to half a year now and it still has the power to make me giddy with desire.

'Don't worry,' he said, pulling his lips away from mine, turning serious again, 'There'll be more than enough Guardians on site; it will be a top security event and the wards will be triple cross-checked. Everyone knows the importance of the occasion and I'm sure everyone in charge is aware of the large numbers of Morois, especially Royal Morois, attending the event,'

I nodded my head. It seemed like a reasonable argument and I knew he was right, but I still questioned the safety of triple cross-checking the wards. Back at the Academy, they had insisted that the wards were safe, but we still got Strigoi attacks every now and then. I had learned not to trust authority. I couldn't help but feel anxious about it. 'You don't believe me, do you?' Dimitri said, as if reading my thoughts. He had an uncanny ability to read my moods, like I was one of his Western books.

'Am I really that predictable?' I asked, forlornly.

He laughed, 'No; I just know you that well,' a spark went off in his eyes as we both remembered our first night together, and how he had uttered those same words. A shiver ran down my spine, as I ached for his touch. He must be feeling the same thing because he was soon reaching for me, kissing me urgently, and we were tearing each other's clothes off. 'I love getting to know you,' he murmured in between bruising kisses.

'Stop teasing me,' I whimpered in his mouth, burning under his touch. He laughed and moved his lips down to my breasts. His hands made their way smoothly down my body until they reached my clit. He rubbed and pinched it intermittently. I arched myself towards him, spreading my legs wider, feeling myself moisten with desire. He delicately nipped at my nipple and rolled his wet tongue over it. I felt my breath catch as my nipples hardened against his touch. Quickly, he moved down my body until his head was between my legs. I tried to sit up to protest but he held me down.

'Dimitri…' I started but was stopped by an incredible wave of ecstasy rushing through me as I felt his moist mouth cover me. His tongue was ravenous as it flicked at my clit every so often, driving me to the edge of reason. His hot mouth was demanding as he gently nipped and licked me. His hands pushed my legs further apart and I raised my hips to meet his mouth. His tongue dipped into me, wet and hard and I moaned his name in pleasure. He sucked gently on the outer lips of my sex and pleasure wracked through my body. My hips bucked against his mouth as I felt myself approach my climax. My gasps of pleasure were becoming more erratic as I felt him push a finger into me. I raised my hips towards him, begging him for release. He curled his fingers towards my G-Spot and rubbed me sensually. I was oozing with desire and was about to be pushed over the edge, when in true Dimitri style, he stopped.

I looked at him, begging with my eyes. His lips came crashing down on mine and I tasted myself on him. I couldn't hold on any longer so I flipped him on his back and impaled myself with him, feeling my juices coat his hard length. I heard him groan with pleasure and usually, I would tease him back, torture him the same way he tortured me, but I was beyond the point of caring. I rode him roughly, seeking for release as he pinched my nipples.

'Like it rough do you?' he whispered, in between groans. His Russian accent was prominent and it made me want him more than ever.

'It's the only way I like it,' I retorted and he immediately flipped me back on my back as he drove himself into me, hard, rough and urgent. I felt my legs start to tingle and I decided to fight for control, so I flipped him on his back again, all the while still attached to him. I tightened myself around him and he nearly lost his resolve. I pinned him down and grounded my hips against his groin. This stimulated my clit even more and I was drenching him with my juices. I rode him hard, moving up and down his length, and our moans increased in intensity.

'Roza…' he growled, gripping my hips tightly as I continued to ride him, urging myself not to cum before he does, 'Come with me,' he said urgently and that was my undoing. I came down hard on him as I felt him explode in me. I moved up and down him slowly, as if trying to prolong our climax, as if trying to milk every drop of him. I finally collapsed on top him, both of us struggling to catch out breaths.

'Where did you learn how to do that?' I asked him breathlessly.

And again, in true Dimitri style, he merely winked at me and said, 'Guardian's secrets,'

...

**What did you think? Send me your thoughts! I do try and incorporate them into the plot whenever I can, so would love to hear from you guys what you think should happen next. I realize that this chapter does race through a few months - I wanted to get to Lissa's wedding asap because things will get interesting. :) Until the next update, take care xox!**


	14. Chapter 13

Hi guys, firstly, a thousand apologies for not updating sooner. Thanks to everyone who wrote to me, asking me to update and telling me how much they've enjoyed the story. You guys have really kicked my ass back into action. So much so that I'm uploading the rest of this story in one go. Yes - let's get this story completed. I've been working on this on and off for the past few months (along with my thesis), and I've been mulling over the story line over and over again, and I've changed bits and pieces each time I've edited it. I've finally decided that I'll stop obsessing over it and just publish it. I would LOVE to hear what you guys think of it. :)

The usual disclaimers apply - and wow, Last Sacrifice. :) If you've read it, please don't write anything in the comments that might give the plot away. Anyway, without further ado, Chapter 13.

**Chapter 13**

**Dimitri's Point of View**

It was a blustery spring evening. I could hear Rose, Lissa, Christian and Alberta downstairs chatting around the breakfast table. I sat on the edge of my bed and turned to look at the rumpled sheets. Smiling to myself, I replayed last night in my head. I had contracted a bit of a fever and cold, and she stayed up all night to make sure I had everything I needed – changing my wet cloth, giving me my antibiotics, fetching me some water. I would never have passed her off as the mothering type, but when the situation calls for it, she sure did step up; begrudgingly but stepped up nonetheless. She was truly perfect.

I reached into the drawer of my bedside cabinet and pulled out a little black box. I opened it and in it, was the ring I had bought for Rose a while ago. Tasha and I had bought it together, just before I left for Melbourne. Even back then, I knew Rose was the only one for me. I've been waiting for the right time to propose, and when it finally happened one fateful night whilst we were cruising down the Yarra, Alex's attack had to shock me back into reality.

I took the ring out of the box and turned it around with my finger. _Forever and for always_. I had those words engraved for her. I smiled sadly. Could I put Rose through this? It wasn't fair that she had to be dragged into my battles with Alex on top of guarding Lissa. I know she would argue otherwise, and I know that if the situation was reversed, there would be no doubt that I would lay my life down for her a million times over.

I reached into the drawer again and this time pulled out a note from Alex.

_You two are indestructible together D. The perfect guarding couple, aren't you? Somehow, I will divide and conquer. Until next time, Alex._

Divide and conquer. I wonder what he was going to do. There was no doubt that Rose and I fought well together. We were so in tune with each other and we always had each other's back. And if Alex is planning on driving us apart, he had another thing coming for us. He will not take away the one person I treasure the most.

I replaced the ring and note back into my drawer and closed it. With Lissa's wedding coming up shortly, I wasn't in too much of a hurry to propose to Rose. She had a lot on her plate at the moment, and I really didn't want to steal the limelight from Lissa and Christian's big day. After all, Rose and I have a long life together, what are a few more months?

…

**Rose's Point of View**

'Should I be concerned with what you're wearing?' Dimitri asked, staring at the little black dress I had squeezed into for Lissa's hen's night. Her wedding was in a week's time. He pulled a polo shirt over himself. I envied how little effort it took for him to look deliciously sexy.

'It's not every day that I get to dress up,' I dusted some bronzer on my cheeks.

'You'll have boys all over you,' there was a slight tinge of jealousy as he walked over and ran his hands down my body. I felt myself ignite and I turned to him. He lowered his lips to mine and I kissed him hungrily, 'I promise I'll be good,'

I paused as our tongues battled, 'Until I come home to you,'

Dimitri chuckled and pulled me closer, his hands sliding to my ass. My dress was short and he easily reached under it, snaking his hands beneath my panties. I felt myself moisten with desire but I couldn't be late for Lissa's party. 'Are you always this good?' I whispered dreamily into his kisses.

He smiled, 'You haven't seen anything yet,'

I laughed as I pulled away from him, 'I can't be late for Lissa,'

He gave me a tight hug and nodded, 'Christian's waiting too,'

We made our way downstairs where the boys had agreed to meet up before heading into town. Adrian, Christian, Eddie, and David were already waiting in the lounge room, Adrian already drinking pre-drinks. Adrian had put faux handcuffs on Christian and even gave him a prisoner number. I laughed at Adrian's ingenuity. The boys looked like they were going to have some fun with Christian tonight. After telling Dimitri to be good – 'Stop being a nag,' Adrian had shot at me – I headed off to Mia's house, where Lissa had decided to get ready at.

Lissa had a light pink dress on when I reached her. She looked ready to go, I just had to put the sash I had prepared for her on – it read 'Bride to be'. She was beaming with excitement as we chatted about our plans tonight – massage and spa parlor, dinner on a cruise ship that will take us around the river, and drinks on the boat complete with strippers and raunchy music, naturally. Mia and Ayeshah looked gorgeous in their dresses and even Alberta dressed up a little bit for the occasion.

It was a fun filled night full of good food, lots of alcohol and good company. There were other Moroi girls and their Guardians that came along as well – friends that Lissa made whilst she was at St. Basile's. For once, no political debates were discussed and everyone was excited about Lissa's upcoming nuptials. I got to know Ayeshah a lot better and found that she was as fun loving and impulsive as I was. Often, we danced together as all the men around us stared at our gyrating hips. I loved being at the centre of attention and so did Ayeshah. In her drunken state, I even managed to squeeze out from her that she has a slight crush on Adrian. It explained all the murderous look she shot at the girls Adrian would bring home.

'But you tell no one,' she whispered fiercely, her words slurring from the excessive amount of alcohol she had consumed. I nodded vehemently and zipped my lips, 'I promise!'

Lissa preferred to hang back and watch us, although I did manage to pull her onto the dance floor every now and then. She refused to take any alcohol, insisting that she didn't want to wake up with a hangover and because I was enjoying getting progressively drunk, I let it be. Despite being sober, she did manage to pull some frisky moves on the dance floor, much to our delight. A memorable moment was when she grabbed a Moroi guy at the bar and asked him to dance. The poor guy didn't know what hit him. We all hooted and encouraged her as she busted out some seriously seductive moves. I'm sure Christian wouldn't have approved. The strippers were a laugh. Lissa's eyes expanded when she saw them and we bought lap dance after lap dance for her, much to her protests. She was clearly embarrassed by hot barely clothed Moroi and Dhampir men giving her so much attention. They were relentless in their torment, much to my delight. Those Australian Dhampirs were tanned and had surf tossed blonde hair. It's a wonder Lissa resisted them!

We finally staggered home at about 3 in the morning. I would have hated to be on duty that night; Alberta and a few other Guardians from St. Basile's had to make sure that we were home safe, all the while battling our drunken laughter. 'You're the best,' Lissa laughed, putting an arm around me, and landed a sloppy kiss on my cheek. I laughed happily, I had had a few drinks but I was nowhere near as wasted as some of the Moroi girls were. It must be something in their genetic makeup because they can't really hold their alcohol as well.

When we reached our home, we heard laughter coming from inside the house. It sounded like Dimitri. He must have stayed up waiting for me, I smiled to myself. When I opened the door, I saw him on the couch with a beautiful dark haired girl. Anger and jealousy coursed through me when I saw her. He had obsessed over how I would tempt boys on Lissa's hen's night and here he was, after a buck's night, with a girl, alone in the house. He turned to look at me and grinned, 'You're finally back,'

I looked at him, confused. He stood up and walked towards me. Placing an arm around me, he turned to the girl and said, 'Katrina, this is Rose,'

And gesturing to Lissa and Alberta, who both had puzzled looks on their faces, said, 'And this is Lissa, Rose's best friend, and Alberta, Lissa's Guardian and a dear friend of ours,'

'Guys, Katrina. She's an old school friend of mine,' he said.

I relaxed significantly until she said, 'Oh we were more than just that Dimka,'

I furrowed my brows, trying to register what she just said, while the alcohol muddled my thoughts. I felt Dimitri stiffen beside me and he didn't respond to what she said.

Lissa sensed the tension in the room so quickly said, 'Look we'll leave you guys to it, it's getting late so I'm going to head to bed. Is Christian home? I hope you didn't get him too drunk,'

Dimitri laughed, 'Adrian was merciless unfortunately, but Christian's in bed now,'

Lissa shook her head in dismay and quickly ran upstairs. Alberta followed suit, retreating to her bedroom, leaving Katrina, Dimitri and I in the lounge room.

'Katrina was at the bar that Adrian picked out for the buck's night. It was such a coincidence,' he explained, turning to look at me again, 'I haven't seen her since we graduated and we ended up talking through the night. I invited her back here because she said she wanted to meet you,'

I gave her a small smile, still wary of her, 'It's nice to meet you,' I wondered what her past relationship with Dimitri was like. 'And you too, Rose,' she smiled at me. It looked more like a smirk to me, but that could have been the alcohol playing tricks with my eyes. I brushed the thought away.

'Well, it's getting late and we probably need to get to bed,' Dimitri announced and Katrina stood up from the couch. She nodded and said, 'I'm sorry; I didn't mean to keep you,'

Dimitri shook his head, 'Don't worry about it, it's so good to see you again. Come, I'll walk you out,'

I stumbled back to my room and into my bed. Dimitri told me he'd join me soon, after he sent her off. I wasn't happy with the arrangement as I was still suspicious of Katrina and her motives but the alcohol was getting to me and I suddenly felt immensely tired. I collapsed on my bed and had a deep dreamless sleep.

…

The next morning I woke up to an empty bed. I frowned as I struggled to recall what happened the night before. I was still clothed in my party clothes. I peeled myself off the bed and stripped down for a shower, head throbbing from all the alcohol I had consumed the previous night. As the cool water rushed down my body, my head filled with thoughts of where Dimitri was and where he had gone. My heart gripped with fear as the image of the dark haired girl in the lounge room surfaced. Maybe he was with her? I wracked my brains for her name… Katie? Katherine? Katerina? Katrina. Panic started to engulf me as I stepped out of the shower, toweling my hair dry.

As it was a Saturday, I pulled on a yellow singlet and my favourite pair of casual jeans. I decided to wear my hair loose. I checked my phone. No messages, no missed calls. This was strange. I furrowed my brows. What if there was a Strigoi attack and Dimitri was hurt? I decided to check his bedroom before over-reacting so I rushed over as fast as I could.

I knocked and peered into the dark room. My heart stopped at the sight in front of me.

'Your girlfriend's here,' Katrina purred, breaking away from what looked like some passionate kissing with Dimitri. He was lying on his bed and Katrina was straddling his hips, wearing close to nothing. There was a mixture of horror and anguish in Dimitri's eyes but I couldn't care less.

'Ex,' I spat, before slamming the door behind me. I vaguely heard Dimitri yell after me, but I ran out of the house as fast as I could, not knowing where I was going to go. Lissa and Christian called after me, but their voices were quickly drowned out by the screaming in my head. It had never crossed my mind that Dimitri would ever cheat on me. I realized how naïve I was. I wanted nothing more than to kill him, and take her down whilst I was at it.

I finally stopped when I reached the edge of the city. I must have run about 10 km without knowing it. My eyes frantically searched the crowds; I didn't know what I was looking for. There were couples everywhere, couples holding hands, couples kissing, couples laughing. Couples in love. Couples, couples, couples. I wanted to scream, but was sure I would be carted off to the nearest psychiatric hospital. My heart was beating wildly, hurting with every beat it took. My phone beeped. It was Lissa. I groaned; her wedding was in a week's time. I knew my seemingly perfect situation would crumble one day, I just didn't think it would crumble like this.

'Hi Liss,' I said, deciding to answer the call and trying my hardest to put my most normal voice on.

'Where are you? Why did you run out?' she asked it.

'Oh, I was just going out to… Get some milk,' I stuttered.

'But we have plenty of milk,' she asked, still confused.

'I… I wanted a different kind of milk,'

_Shit Rose, you need to get better at lying!_ I mentally kicked myself. _Milk? Seriously?_

'Okay…' Lissa said, still unsure, 'Why did Dimitri run out too?'

_Ouch_, there went my heart again. 'I don't know, why don't you ask him?' I snapped, a little more harshly than I meant to.

'Did you guys have a fight?'

'What do you mean? Of course not,' I tried to smile sickeningly sweetly into the phone, hoping that she would buy it. In reality, I never felt sicker in my entire life.

'You sound a bit off,'

'It's probably the hangover,' I lied, 'That's why I want this milk that I'm going out for; it's supposed to make me feel better,'

Thankfully, Lissa bought it. 'Well, come home, I'll make you a big American breakfast and hopefully that will help with the hangover too. Besides, Ayeshah's got some disgusting tea that's supposed to be a sure remedy for hangovers!' She sounded chirpy. And why wouldn't she? She was getting married in a week's time; she had the time of her life last night; she had a loving, doting fiancé. She had everything going for her. I couldn't help but feel bitter at all her good fortune. I tried to push those negative feelings away, but the unfairness of the situation left a horrible taste in my mouth. I knew it wasn't her fault, but some part of me felt like taking it out on her.

'No, I'm okay. I'll just walk it off or something. I'll see you later,' I said quickly, and promptly hung up on her. I wasn't sure how long I could continue the charade otherwise. Besides, I wasn't in the mood for her to mother me. Whilst a part of me resented her good fortune, another part of me didn't want to rain on her parade and ruin her wedding. She wouldn't understand what it's like to have a broken heart anyway. My phone beeped again. I looked at it – it was Dimitri. My heart squeezed painfully and I felt like I was going to fall apart from all the pain in my heart. I cancelled it and kept walking into the crowds.

A few seconds later, my phone buzzed again. It was Dimitri again. I cancelled his call; I didn't want to hear his excuses. The image of Katrina straddling Dimitri was burnt into my memory and every time I thought about it all I wanted to do was kill; kill, scream, cry. I started to run again; it seemed as though my mind would only stay still if I was running. So I ran, and ran, until I reached the Botanical Gardens, just on the southern side of the city. I wandered around the trees. The air was damp from the spring rain.

I found myself a secluded spot, beside the lake, and sank down on my knees. Dimitri was calling again. I rocked myself as my tears fell rapidly onto the ground in front of me. I felt like I was spiraling into a deep, dark hole and couldn't clamber my way out of it. I tried to muffle my sobs; I didn't need other couples taking pity on me. Birds chirped happily around me; one tried to hop closer to me, but I gave it a death stare and that, combined with my natural Dhampir aura was enough to send it screeching back into the trees. _Even the birds were feeling sorry for me_, I thought bitterly as I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to comfort myself.

My phone beeped again. I was sick of Dimitri trying to call by now and went to turn it off when I saw who it was.

'Hi,' I breathed softly, trying to control my sobbing, hoping he wouldn't pick it from the other end.

'You're crying,' Adrian stated matter-of-factly.

I sighed, tired of fighting it now, 'How can you read me so well?'

I could almost see him grin on the other side, 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing,'

'People don't cry when nothing is wrong,'

'Nothing is wrong; I'm just… Tired,'

'You cry when you're tired? You're weird,' he teased. I cracked a small smile and didn't say anything. I wasn't quite sure what to say to him.

'So are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?' he demanded.

'What do you mean?'

'Are you going to tell me where you are and what is wrong or am I going to have to enlist my _powerful_ Spirit magic to extract the truth out of you?' he said dramatically. Despite myself, I chuckled.

'Let's see how _powerful_ your Spirit is then,'

'Don't tempt me,' he warned, jokingly and I smiled, wiping my tears away.

'I'm at the Botanical Gardens,'

'I'm coming to get you,' and he hung up. I sighed. I knew how well Adrian could read auras – he would figure me out immediately. I hated that there was no hiding things from Spirit users; I could use some privacy at times like this. At the same time, I was relieved that there would be someone for me to talk to; Adrian would understand. Guilt filled me – it wasn't that Lissa wouldn't understand. She should be focusing on her upcoming nuptials, not worrying about how I would cope with this latest installment in the Rose-Dimitri drama.

I lay down on the grass, face turned towards the sky. The sun was setting, and the trees were lit with an eerie moonlit glow. I knew the Gardens weren't the safest place to be because of the lack of Guardians and the wards wouldn't extend out this far, but I was far from caring. Besides, I dared any Strigoi to attempt an attack on me; I would make minced meat out of the whole lot of them.

Half an hour later, all the bitterness and anger that had engulfed me previously slowly receded and in their place, a dull ache resided. I thought back to the happy memories that Dimitri and I shared and tears started to fill my eyes again. I willed myself to stay strong and to not think about him.

'There you are,' a voice startled me. I jumped up, only to see Adrian approach me. His hair was disheveled and his eyes, bloodshot. He must have had a big night of drinking last night. It didn't surprise me. I mustn't have looked any better because he looked at me strangely, 'Your aura's black,'

I turned my face away from him, trying to conceal my swollen eyes.

'Turning away is not going to hide your aura,' he said gently, 'it's Dimitri isn't it?' he guessed and my shoulders drooped with resignation.

'He was kissing someone else,' I whispered. It sounded dirtier when I said it out loud and I immediately wanted to take it back, somehow hoping that if I didn't verbalize it, it might not be real. Adrian was silent, either lost in his thoughts or waiting for me to continue.

'I went home last night and he was at his place with this woman, Katrina,'

'He met her at the bar last night; he said she was an old school friend,' Adrian said. I nodded, 'That's what he told me last night too. He said he brought her back because she wanted to meet me. Then he walked her out… said he'd join me soon,' I felt a lump form in my throat as I continued, 'When I got up today, he wasn't there… I thought I'd check his room and…'

I couldn't continue. I was fighting a losing battle with my emotions as fresh tears started to fall again. Adrian put an arm around me and rubbed my back silently, trying to offer as much comfort and moral support as he could. 'She was on top of him, pretty much naked… on his bed,' I choked out; my body was shaking with my sobs and Adrian held onto me, stroking my hair.

'Have you talked to him about it?' he asked after a while.

'I never want to see him again,' I declared vehemently.

He held me at arm's length and looked into my eyes, 'Do you trust him?'

'How can I? Haven't you been listening to anything I've said?'

He shook his head, 'Do you trust him? It could have been a misunderstanding,'

'She was on top of him. They were kissing. If I hadn't barged in, I don't know what else they would have done,' I yelled at Adrian, frustrated that he wasn't standing on my side, not entirely.

'Rose,' Adrian rolled his eyes, 'I have never seen anyone more in love with each other than you two; and that's saying a lot especially when Christian and Lissa are joined by the hip most of the time. Don't think that I'm sticking up for Belikov. You and I both know that I'm not his biggest fan, but it kills me to see you so upset. You need to talk to him, find out the truth. We'll come up with a battle plan from there,'

I stared at him murderously. The sensible part of me knew that he was right, that I should talk to Dimitri but all I wanted to do at that moment was to scream bloody murder and go on a Strigoi killing spree, or better still, a Dimitri-Katrina killing spree.

'Pity there aren't any Strigois around here for you to massacre,' Adrian said amused, clearly reading my aura accurately again. I yelled out in frustration, punching a tree next to me. I heard my bones crack and pain shot through me. Adrian looked on in surprise, before restraining me, 'Are you out of your mind?'

I relished the searing pain that came from my knuckles. They started to bleed and I smiled masochistically at them. Worry etched across Adrian's face, 'we're getting you to Lissa, come on,'

I laughed; I felt like I was losing my mind. The physical pain took away the ache that was in my heart. I could see Adrian growing increasingly worried about my mental state but I couldn't care less. I was adamant on reducing the hurt and anger within me so I pulled away from him, and landed another punch on the tree. My knuckles bled even more and I relished the pain that came with it. I could hear Adrian frantically texting away in the background. I spun around and looked at him, 'Please don't tell Lissa,' I begged. He stared at me, eyes filled with worry and concern.

'She's getting married in a week; she can't know,' I begged, my eyes imploring his. He shook his head in disbelief, 'Do you seriously think she cares about that when you're hurting the way you are?'

I was silent. 'She's your best friend, is she not?' he continued to demand, 'So why the hell do you keep things from her?'

I gulped, 'She doesn't need to worry about me,'

'You seriously need to stop acting like you're some kind of mighty protector, Rose. You need to stop denying yourself support,'

'Look what happens when I trust!' I lashed out at him.

'She's your best friend; not some Russian gallivanting around! If this happened to her, a week before _your_ wedding day, would you want her to come to you? Or would you want her to suffer in silence? Acting like some kind of martyr? Yes Rose, a martyr. That's what you're trying to be, when there is absolutely no need for it! There are plenty of people who care about you!'

I was shocked at his reprimand and didn't protest when he dragged me away from the gardens into a taxi. I stared sulkily out of the window of the taxi as it sped us home. He was right; I knew it but would never admit it to him.

'I'm not going back to mine,' I declared stubbornly.

'Okay, you'll stay at mine then,' he declared, equally stubbornly as he rang for Lissa.

When Lissa arrived and saw me, I was awash with a heap of her conflicting emotions – surprise, concern, fear, sadness, confusion…

She dragged me into Adrian's room and immediately proceeded to heal my knuckles. I felt the warm tingly feeling flowing through me and it provided some relief to all the emotions raging in me. She fired a million questions at me but I was mentally too exhausted to answer them. Adrian, bless him, relayed what happened to Lissa and once again, her emotions flooded me; only this time, her feelings of betrayal, anger, hurt and sorrow were congruent with mine, empowering and validating my own feelings, making me hate Dimitri even more.

Like Adrian, Lissa insisted that I talk to Dimitri. Silently, I agreed that it was the most sensible thing to do but I didn't feel like I was going to be ready to see him. We agreed that I would stay at Adrian's that night, and confront Dimitri tomorrow. Lissa insisted on staying with me. Eddie was going to be over at Mia's, so there wouldn't be a problem with me taking his room.

Lissa rang Dimitri to tell him.

'I need to speak to her,' he was yelling down the phone but Lissa kept her stance, 'She doesn't want to speak to you. She'll see you tomorrow evening, 7.00 p.m., down at the park. I hope you have a good reason,' and she hung up, before giving him a chance to reply.

I had much trouble sleeping that night. I tossed and turned in Eddie's bed, keeping Lissa awake at the same time. Every time I tried closing my eyes, I saw Katrina and Dimitri in that compromising position and bile would rise up in my throat. I felt an urgency to confront him, to ask him for the truth and at the same time, I was cowering from him, despairing to hear the worst news. I never thought I'd experience the same amount of anguish as I did when Dimitri decided to leave me for Tasha but here it was again, back and stronger than before. I had no more tears to cry that night; my eyes were dry. Occasionally, I would drift into sleep, only to be jolted out of it again. It was a shame that Lissa could only heal physical wounds. I sighed deeply and suddenly felt a rush of nausea. My eyes flew open – Strigoi! I instinctively reached out for my silver stake and as silently as possible, crept out of bed, not wanting to disturb Lissa any more than I already had.

My eyes flickered around the room cautiously but could sense nothing unusual. I peered out of the window; it was bright daylight. Strange, I thought. No Strigoi would survive in the midday sun. But another wave of nausea hit me and I spun around, searching the room more meticulously than before. I edged myself closer to the door, but could feel nothing. Usually, the nausea intensified as I got closer to Strigoi. This time, it lingered at the back of my throat, neither intensifying nor dissipating.

A noise startled me and I jumped, swiftly turning around. It was only Lissa, scrambling out of bed. She rushed to the toilet and started to throw up. I rushed to her and held her hair back as she retched into the toilet bowl.

'What's wrong?' I asked, concerned. She didn't even have any alcohol the night before; besides, even if she had some without me knowing, hangovers usually only last for a day.

She shook her head, breathing heavily. After flushing the toilet, she made her way to the sink to wash her mouth.

'But you didn't even drink…'

She looked at me and almost laughed. I stared back at her quizzically, 'Are you hiding something from me?'

She looked away from me. I knew she was trying to conceal her feelings of joy that was bubbling through her. 'Are you pregnant?' I decided to take a shot in the dark.

She looked at me surprised, 'How did you…?'

'Oh my God Liss, how could you not tell me?' I screamed, delighted for her, but at the same time painfully aware of the sinking feeling in my stomach.

'I was going to tell you today… But after everything that happened between you and Dimitri… I didn't know how to tell you…,' she said guiltily.

'Don't be an idiot you silly goose! You're pregnant; I'm going to be an aunt!'

She could barely contain her joy. She truly had it all, I thought bitterly but quickly tried to silence the thought. I wasn't going to let my selfish feelings ruin things for her.

'How did I not know about this sooner?' I wondered, referring to our bond, thinking that I would have known when she first found out about it.

'I've been learning to block my emotions and also to dissipate some of that darkness that comes with Spirit,' she explained, 'Macca's been teaching me how to block my emotions from you, because I told him how much pain it put you through. He's suggested meditation. I've tried it once or twice but haven't really put much thought into it,'

'First, Liss, I don't care about experiencing your emotions – it makes my job easier remember? And why would you want to block them from me?' I asked, hurt. I felt like I was being abandoned by my best friend, like she didn't need me anymore. I thought we shared everything together.

'It's not like that Rose,' Lissa said gently, reaching out to hold my hands, 'I don't want you to have to take away the darkness from me all the time; I don't want you to have to deal with my crap all the time,'

'But I can do it,' I insisted.

'I know you can, but I don't want my crap to rule your life. Why should it? You already have to worry about keeping me safe; you shouldn't have to worry about keeping me sane as well. I told you, I want to be able to look out for you the same way you constantly look out for me. Besides, you don't need to be dragged into intimate activities that involve Christian,' she blushed and I laughed out loud, 'that is true,'

'And besides, when I need help, I'll lower the floodgates,'

I nodded, 'And two, meditation? Isn't that like hippy stuff?'

Lissa laughed, 'Well, sort of I guess. It's not so bad Rose. It helps me focus and find peace within myself. I'm still really crap at it, but I'll give it a go once all this craziness around me dies down,'

I looked at her and hugged her tight, 'You don't have to worry about me, Liss. I'm fine, I'm always fine,'

'I will kill him for you,' Lissa said passionately. I laughed at the image of Lissa hunting Dimitri down, 'Don't worry about me,'

'Adrian was right,' she said, pulling away from me, 'You don't let people in enough,' she said, slightly hurt, 'We care about you; you don't have to do everything on your own,'

I turned away from her and shrugged, 'I'm just used to it, I guess,'

She let the topic drop as she sensed my reluctance to talk about it further. I tucked myself back into bed and Lissa slid in beside me. I rolled over to my side, further indicating my reluctance to talk. I could feel her eyes bore into my back and her concern for me was evident. I felt like I was shutting myself out to the whole world, but couldn't do anything about it. It felt like the less I gave away of myself, the less I would be hurt. I shut my eyes and tried to convince myself that there had to be an explanation for what happened between Dimitri and Katrina, there had to be.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Rose's Point of View**

I dragged myself out of bed as the sun started to set. Lissa eventually fell asleep and was snoring lightly. I shuffled quietly around Eddie's room and took a quick shower. 2 hours until my confrontation with Dimitri. My heart pounded wildly at the prospect of seeing him and I suddenly felt nausea consume me again. _Damn Lissa and her hormones_, I silently cursed as I swallowed deeply. Now my Strigoi-meter would be less accurate because of her pregnancy. I applied some make up onto my eyes, trying to conceal the dark circles that were forming below them. Satisfied with them, I decided to make my way downstairs to see what Adrian has in his fridge for breakfast, not that I would be able to eat any of it. He didn't have anything good, so I decided to take a walk to the nearest café.

I sat quietly in a corner with my coffee as I observed Guardians changing shift – this was usually a busy time in the café; shift workers ending their shift and grabbing a quick bite before retiring to bed, and early risers starting their shift, grabbing an espresso to kick start their day. I managed to remain rather inconspicuous in my corner. It was rather out of character for me, but I wasn't up to chit chatting. I looked at my watch; half an hour to go. I gripped my coffee cup tightly, downed the last of my latte and started to make my way towards the park. It was a Sunday evening; there wouldn't be anyone there, which was why Lissa chose it as a place for Dimitri and I to meet – it was on neutral ground, and we would have some privacy.

Dimitri was already there waiting; I saw his back turned towards me as I approached the park bench. He was pacing. My heart ached – was it only two days ago that he held me in his arms and told me he loved me? It seemed like forever. As if sensing my presence, he turned around. Our eyes met and immediately, I felt myself long for him to wrap his arms around me, to tell me that everything was okay. I saw his face soften and convinced myself that he must be feeling the same way. Maybe we could work through this.

'Roza…' he started towards me. My phone beeped at that time and I glanced down at it. It was a text message from an unfamiliar number.

I flipped it open and waited for it to load. 'Rose,' Dimitri was standing in front of me now. I glanced up at him and caught a whiff of his shampoo and aftershave. It was an intoxicating mix. 'I can explain,' he said, his eyes begging for forgiveness. I stayed silent. My phone was taking a long time to load.

'It's not what you thought,' Dimitri insisted, 'I was…'

But I cut him off halfway, gasping loudly at what turned up on my phone. It was a picture message – it read: _thought you might be interested_. And underneath it was a picture of Katrina straddling Dimitri's near naked body. Dimitri must have glanced down at my phone because he started gripping my shoulders and saying, 'No, it's not like that,'

I shook my head in disbelief. My mind was swirling and I felt like I was going to faint. I couldn't believe I was naïve enough to think we had a chance at working it out. I shook his hands off me, avoiding his eyes. 'How could you…' my voice was staggered, barely recognizable.

'Rose you have to believe me, I didn't do it,' he begged.

I laughed bitterly and threw my phone at him, 'you have a twin brother I don't know of now?'

'Roza, please…'

'I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore,' I said, backing away from him. My heart was in pieces and I was barely able to keep myself from falling apart in front of him.

'No, you have to listen to me…'

'No, it's over. I'll never be able to trust you again,'

'Don't say that…' did I see tears creep out of his eyes? I was silently astonished; Dimitri never cried; but it was too late for tears, too late for apologies.

'I'm sorry…' I said softly, 'It's over,'

And like that, I felt my world end.

I remained somewhat catatonic that day, moving around Eddie's room like a zombie. Lissa tried repeatedly to call me but all I did was text her back to let her know I was okay, not giving away anything. I avoided our house like a plague, dreading that I would run into Dimitri. I knew I would have to go back some time; I needed to find another place to stay. I couldn't live in Eddie's room forever. My mind whirled with all the possible things I had to do. How was I going to continue guarding Lissa without facing Dimitri? I would have to clean out my room, and throw everything that belonged to Dimitri out. I'd have to do the laundry because his scent would have lingered on my sheets. I sobbed into Eddie's pillows as I thought about Dimitri.

I turned on the radio, hoping that there would be a happy song that would cheer me up but instead, all I got was Taylor Swift's Teardrops on my Guitar. Great, I thought miserably as she crooned about crying over a guy. I felt myself slowly choke up again. I thought I had finished crying, but as the tears rolled off my cheeks, I realized that the tears for Dimitri would keep coming.

I wondered what he was doing now but stopped myself before I could spiral into a darker hole than I could dig myself out of. I turned the radio off as an idea hit me. Nothing heals a broken heart faster than a rebound; Adrian would know of good places where I could get some hot Dhampir or Human to take my mind off everything. I decided to sneak back into my house to have a shower, freshen up and change into a killer outfit. Thankfully, Dimitri was nowhere to be found; but as I predicted before, my room was filled with reminders of him. Shoving thoughts of him to the back of my mind, I toweled my hair dry and pulled on my most figure hugging top and my shortest skirt. I paired them with killer heels that made my legs look like they went on forever. I tousled my hair in a way that made me look like I had just gotten out of bed and loaded some mascara onto my eyelashes.

'Adrian, are you free tonight?' I rang him and he picked up on the first ring.

'Always,'

'It's over; I want to party,'

'What?' he said incredulously.

'I'll be at yours in 2 minutes,' I said promptly and hung up, not giving him a chance to protest. I strode out of my room and towards Adrian's house. I caught a few wolf whistlers on the sidewalk as I exited the front gate of my house. I knew the boys were checking me out so I decided to single one out and wink at him – he didn't know what hit him. I bumped into Dimitri around the corner and for a split second, something in me went cold but I quickly composed myself and gave him my brightest smile.

'Where are you going?' he demanded, clearly disapproving of my attire.

'I don't think it's any of your business anymore,' I said bitterly as I walked away from him. His eyes bore into my back as I entered Adrian's front gate, trying to look as calm as possible. I was sweating profusely, anxious about what he would do; a part of me willed him to come after me, to declare his love for me; the other part of me wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible. He didn't come after me, and I didn't know whether to rejoice or despair at that. My life was turning into one big oxymora.

Adrian's eyes widened with surprise when he saw what I was wearing. 'Is what you're wearing even legal?' he asked, unable to tear his eyes away from me. I grinned at him, 'You like it,'

He frowned at me, 'Of course I do, but that doesn't mean you should be wearing it,'

'Live a little,' I flashed him my sexiest smile. It caught him off guard but he didn't say anything about it, merely smiled at my charms.

'Come on, I want to celebrate my new found freedom. Where's the nearest watering hole?'

Adrian and I set off to a nearby bar that was frequented by humans. I wanted a place where I wouldn't be recognized because I was planning on getting wasted. I ordered two bottles of Vodka and Adrian raised his eyebrows silently at me. 'Here,' I showed him the picture of Katrina and Dimitri that was on my phone as I downed a shot of Vodka. I felt the alcohol burn my throat as I gulped it down but welcomed the giddy numbness that followed soon after.

'The bastard,' Adrian swore, angrily, 'I'm surprised you didn't kill him,'

'He's not worth it,' I shrugged, downing another shot of Vodka. It was my fifth shot by now and my inhibitions were starting to break down. It was Sunday and so it was rather quiet at the bar, with only a few people in dark corners.

'I'll kill him for you,' Adrian offered gallantly.

I smiled at him, 'Thanks for being the sweetest,'

'Anytime,' he smiled back, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. It was a gesture I always associated with Dimitri. I felt tears start to well up again but I pushed them away.

'Do you know Lissa's pregnant?' I said, desperately trying to distract myself away from thinking about Dimitri. Adrian's mouth fell open, 'Oh that is just _too_ weird,'

I laughed, 'You should be happy for her!'

He laughed guiltily, 'I am. Wow, that's massive news! I'm very happy for her and Christian but… Wow!'

'I know! It's amazing, as if she doesn't have enough on her shoulders already!'

He shook his head, 'She's going to have to give up something – she can't be a Spirit user, politician and full time mother all at the same time,'

'She's brilliant; she'll figure it out,' I said, immediately defending Lissa. She was the most capable person I knew.

'Of course she's brilliant, I never doubted that,' Adrian defended himself, 'But it's hard being good at everything,'

I nodded, 'She has all of us; she'll manage,'

'Yes,' Adrian agreed, 'she does have all of us,'

'Just like you have all of us too… Especially me,' he added softly, looking at me tenderly, 'I hate seeing him hurt you like this,' I stared into his deep green eyes and took in his handsome features. He was staring back at me too, and I wondered how long ago it was when I had actually properly looked at him. Whilst Dimitri was darkly seductive, Adrian was handsome in a cheekier way. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was my broken heart, but before I knew it, I leaned in and kissed him lightly on his lips. I felt him stiffen but I persisted.

Not long after, I felt his resolve dissolve and he kissed me back. Suddenly he pulled back, 'This is wrong,'

'Which is exactly the way you like it,' I whispered seductively through my alcohol fuelled haze. I had finished a bottle of Vodka by now and was barely thinking straight. I pulled him towards me and crushed my lips against his. The rest of the night went in a blur – I remembered kissing him, I remembered his arms around me, I remembered us laughing and finishing up another bottle of Vodka before deciding to stumble back to Court; well, I stumbled, Adrian made sure I didn't fall over myself. The last thing I remembered was falling into Adrian's bed with his arms around me.

I woke up to the biggest hangover ever. I leaped out of bed and swayed a little, heading towards the bathroom and immediately retched into the toilet bowl. I must have drunk a whole keg of beer or something. After vomiting my guts out, I went to rinse my mouth in the sink and that was when I saw that I was dressed only in Adrian's t-shirt. I blinked at my reflection in disbelief. Oh. My. God. What happened last night? I screamed mentally at myself.

I walked downstairs to see Adrian was sitting at the breakfast table reading a newspaper. When he saw me, he asked, 'feeling better?'

'Adrian…' I stammered, 'What happened last night? Where are my clothes?'

He grinned at me, 'you were pretty hot and heavy last night; feeling a little frisky huh?'

I felt the color drain from my face.

'What's wrong? You seemed to demand it last night,' he grinned at me. He was half naked himself, looking like he just had the time of his life. Thankfully, Eddie was over at Mia's and did not have to witness my fall from grace. David tactfully removed himself from the kitchen when he saw me.

'I was drunk!' I spat at Adrian, once David left the room, 'You took advantage of me!'

'Hey, you seemed pretty willing babe,' he laughed, putting down his newspaper, 'By the way; you threw up on your clothes so I had to change you and all I had were my clothes. Maybe you can start leaving some of your clothes at mine; maybe we should think about moving in together now that you and Russian dude are _ka-poot_,'

I narrowed my eyes murderously at him and at the same time blushed furiously. I couldn't believe I had slept with him; I couldn't believe he actually did it whilst I was drunk off my face. I could hardly remember anything that happened. I reached out for my phone and saw 10 missed calls from Dimitri. Ignoring them, I punched in Lissa's number.

'Where have you been?' she demanded as she picked up after the first ring, 'You're supposed to be at St. Basile's. We've been looking for you all morning!'

'I'll explain later; I need you to go to my room and pick up some clothes for me and bring them to Adrian's room,'

'What? What the hell are you doing there?'

'I'll explain later; hurry!'

Adrian chuckled as I hung up the phone on her, 'Look babe, don't worry, I'm sure they'll grant you sick leave,'

'How much did I drink?' I asked, groaning as I sank into a kitchen chair, ashamed and embarrassed of what had happened.

'Two liters of Vodka,' he said matter-of-factly.

I groaned and held my head in my hands, 'I shouldn't have had that much,'

'That is true,' Adrian said sagely and I shot him a nasty look. I didn't know whether to be angrier at him, at myself or at Dimitri. I felt like I was about to burst from all the emotions raging within me. An urgent knock on the door signified Lissa's arrival. I jumped up and opened the door for her, grabbing my clothes from her and rushing to the nearest bathroom to change before she had a chance to ask me anything. I could vaguely hear her grill Adrian for the details so by the time I emerged she was standing with her hands on her hips, fuming at me.

'I know, I know, I'm not proud of it,' I said dejectedly.

'I was so worried about you when you weren't in your room this morning! And when you and Adrian both didn't turn up, I didn't know what to think,' she started, 'And Dimitri…'

I stopped her, 'I don't want to talk about him,'

'It's over? Just like that?' her voice was rising hysterically, 'Did you even give him a chance to explain?'

'Don't give me that Liss, what would you do if you found Christian being straddled by some naked girl whom he apparently met one night?'

She winced, 'It could've been a misunderstanding,'

I shoved my phone towards her. She blinked disbelieving at it and slowly said, 'Well… You still don't know it's entirely real,'

'Stop defending him Lissa! He cheated, it's over,' and with that, I stormed out of Adrian's house, only to bump into Dimitri skulking around the corner.

His beautiful brown eyes were filled with pain and accusation. 'Didn't take you long to get over things,' he said angrily.

'You didn't even wait until it was over!' I yelled, storming off to my room, my head throbbing from the alcohol receding from my body and from the drama that was spinning out of control around me. How dare he judge me, I thought angrily as I slammed the door to my room shut, feeling ashamed and embarrassed, not only with my one night stand, but for using Adrian as a rebound. I had embarked on a mission to find an anonymous rebound but ended up with Adrian instead. My love life was just about to get even more complicated, as if it wasn't complicated enough.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Rose's Point of View**

Dimitri and I avoided each other in the days leading up to the wedding. I eventually moved back into my room but I avoided Dimitri at all cost – which wasn't easy, considering his bedroom was right next to mine! There were nights when I laid in bed, thinking about him, thinking about what he's doing, thinking about whether Katrina is next door with him. I never heard any noises from his room, so either they were being really quiet and sneaky, or he just wasn't home. Thinking about Katrina made me angry, and anger was so much easier to deal with than the painful throbbing in my heart that would surface when my anger subsided.

Lissa tried to reason with me, 'Don't you think it's ridiculous for Dimitri to sleep with someone he's only met for one night? He's so… Reasonable, so composed, so logical all the time. It just doesn't make sense,'

'He's known her since high school!' I said bitterly, refusing to contemplate the idea that there could be another explanation.

Lissa let out a growl of frustration, 'URGH, Rose, you can be so stubborn sometimes! There's got to be a reason; you're just refusing to see it! Besides, you're now at fault too!'

My eyes clouded over with anger, 'Lissa, choose your side carefully; I wouldn't have slept with Adrian if that slimy bastard didn't sleep with that bitch first!'

'You don't know he slept with her!'

'Lissa, this conversation is over!' I shouted as I stormed back into my room, fuming at the fact that Lissa was standing up for Dimitri. I refused to speak to her for the rest of the day after that, but seeing how I was her Guardian and wedding planner, the plan to not ever speak to her again didn't really work out. 'I'll speak to you only if you stop talking about him,' that was my olive branch. Lissa merely rolled her eyes at me and mumbled, 'whatever,' She was clearly tired of arguing with me too.

I grew increasingly nauseous and cursed Lissa each time I had to run to the bathroom to throw up. I had caught Dimitri eyeing me suspiciously a few times when I ran to the bathroom. I had no idea what his problem was, but I was too consumed with wedding plans to care. I was extremely concerned about the security at the wedding, especially as my Strigoi-meter was unreliable. I spent nights obsessing over the floor plan of the wedding venue, trying to figure out possible loopholes for Strigoi to attack. It kept me busy, which was a welcome distraction from my chaotic love life and my heart that seemed to break every time I get a glimpse of Dimitri, even from a distance. I cursed myself for being weak and susceptible, but no amount of swearing and willpower seemed to convince my heart to stop longing for him. Every time I even contemplated that there may be a reason for his behavior, I only had to look at the photo on my phone and all reason would leave me.

Rumors about my one night stand with Adrian quickly spread through the St. Basile community. I was thankful that we were in Australia and not back in America; otherwise Tatiana finding out that I had slept with her precious nephew would have made my life even more complicated. She wasn't planning on attending Lissa and Christian's wedding, which bothered nobody, but I thought was poor performance on her part. To her, it was a case of out of sight, out of mind. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she finds out that Lissa is pregnant. Even though we were miles away from America, Tatiana couldn't really ignore us forever.

Adrian did nothing to quell the rumors; in fact, he seemed to enjoy them. Aside from Dimitri, Ayeshah didn't appreciate the rumors either.

'Ayeshah!' I called out to her one day, wanting to explain the situation to her. She turned around and looked at me resentfully, before retreating back into the crowds of Moroi heading towards the feeders at St. Basile.

'Shit!' I took out my frustration on a nearby table, kicking it hard. I knew about her growing crush on Adrian and now it looked like I had just gone and ruined her chances for her. I grew increasingly secluded and chose to obsess over the wedding preparations instead. I avoided Adrian as much as I avoided Dimitri; not knowing how to face him after what happened. Lissa tried to coax me out of my increasing depression, but I pushed her away each time, telling her that I was too busy to go shopping or to have a coffee with her. It was the first time I was grateful for being given the role of wedding planner.

Lissa and Christian's wedding day arrived before I knew it. Lissa, Ayeshah, Mia and I were getting ready in the Langham Hotel, in a suite that she and Christian would spend their first night as a married couple together. The Langham was glitzy and expensive; something I would never be able to afford on my Guardian wage. Alberta, Dimitri and I had separate rooms on the floor beneath their suite so we could continue our guarding duties – some of the perks of guarding super rich Morois. I felt Lissa's joy through our bond. She must have trouble blocking out strong feelings, I thought to myself, smiling sadly, because as much as I felt her joy, I also felt her internal struggle to contain it for my sake.

'Let it go,' I said as I waited for Lissa's stylist to finish putting her hair up, 'You don't have to compromise how happy you feel just because of me, I would never expect that of you,'

She looked at me sadly, 'I'm so sorry Rose,'

'Stop it, Liss. I'm tired of people feeling sorry for me, I'm tired of arguing with you about it. I want you to be happy; it means the world to me,'

She gave me a small smile, 'Well, if it's okay with you, I'd really like it if you gave me away,'

I broke out into a grin, 'Of course,' and she leaned over to hug me happily, much to the frustration of her stylist, 'Princess, you need to sit still!'

Putting my maid-of-honor dress on proved to be a difficult task as I remembered how Dimitri had reacted to it when I modeled it for him. It took all my resolve to stop myself from choking up and breaking down into uncontrollable sobs. Composing myself, I put on some simple make up. It was a spring wedding after all; there was no need for a dramatic look. Lissa had hired a make-up artist for all of us girls but I preferred to do my own make up; at least I had total control over what it looked like. Lissa called me a control freak. Ayeshah ignored me the whole time which was painful, considering the blossoming friendship between the two of us. Mia sat nervously between the two of us, trying to make small talk and establish some truce between the two of us, but at the same time being highly aware of the unspoken tension. I wasn't sure if Lissa sensed the animosity that Ayeshah had for me; but if she did, she didn't mention it, thankfully.

After two hours, Ayeshah, Mia and I were all dressed and ready to go. I helped Lissa into her wedding dress and she truly looked like a princess. 'Christian should thank his lucky stars every night,' I smiled at her and she squeezed my hand gratefully. She was extremely excited and nervous at the same time and I felt it clearly; she was obviously not going to practice blocking her emotions on her wedding day; I just hoped that I don't get dragged into their first night together as husband and wife.

I left her soon after and made my way towards the Botanical Gardens to look after the guests that were starting to arrive – it's not easy juggling being a Guardian (sure, I was off duty, but technically, you never stop being a Guardian), maid-of-honor and wedding planner extraordinaire. I was relieved that so far, everything was going to plan and the seating arrangements were working out for everyone. Tasha saw me and called out for. I waved to her and she walked over, excitedly, 'Rose! You look absolutely gorgeous!'

'Thanks, Tasha, you look beautiful yourself,' I said genuinely, giving her a hug, 'Wait until you see Lissa,'

'Oh, I am so excited about this! I can't believe my little nephew is getting married already; it seemed like yesterday when he was just a baby!' she exclaimed, nostalgia consuming her. A tall light brown haired man strode up to us and put his arm around Tasha. I raised my eyebrows knowingly at her and she giggled. I laughed nervously – Tasha always seemed too grown up to giggle.

'This is Angus,' she introduced, 'He's the Guardian that Dimitri helped pick for me; and it turned out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me,' she looked radiant with happiness.

'Hi, I'm Rose, Lissa's Guardian,' I introduced.

'Pleased to meet you Rose,' he smiled, eyes crinkling on his sides, much like the way Dimitri's did. He had light green eyes and looked like they were constantly laughing. He squeezed Tasha's shoulders affectionately and through her expression, I knew she was head over heels in love with him.

'She's more than just Lissa's Guardian,' Tasha expanded, 'She's Janine Hathaway's only daughter; and the love of Dimitri's life,' she teased. I blushed furiously, she mustn't have known about the latest development in our relationship.

Angus' eyes widened when Tasha informed him of who my mother was, 'Wow; I finally get to meet Rose Hathaway. I've heard a lot about you; you're steadily gaining as much of a reputation as your mother!'

I blushed, 'Thanks; I'm sure people exaggerate their stories,'

'Oh shut up Rose,' Tasha chided, 'you're one of the best, don't be modest; it's not you,'

I laughed loudly at this and after making some additional small talk, excused myself so I could continue to busy myself with my biggest concern about the wedding – security. I briefed the Guardians on duty and personally checked all the wards.

'You're bordering on obsession,' Alberta chided, a slight hint of annoyance evident in her tone. She was the Captain for the Guardian team today.

'I'm sorry Alberta; it's not that I don't trust you to do an excellent job… I just… I just want this to be perfect for Lissa,' I explained. Her frown softened, 'I know, but you have to stop worrying so much; take it easy, enjoy the day,'

She must have noticed my increasing obsession with making Lissa's wedding day perfect. It was as if I was trying to compensate for my shambled love life by making Lissa's day perfect. I couldn't help it; at least one of us is happy, I thought miserably as Alberta shooed me away from her team.

It was a beautiful summer's evening for a wedding; it was warm, but a light breeze was slowly sifting through. Lissa and Christian were scheduled to say their vows just as the sun would set, making it a perfect moment for the photographers I had hired to capture. I stood beside the gazebo as I watched the guests start to stream in; the table I had set out for presents was slowly buckling under the weight of the gifts. I checked my watch nervously; my parents were due to arrive soon and in an hour, the ceremony will start.

The familiar feeling of bile started to rise at the back of my throat. My initial response was to reach out for my silver stake, but after searching frantically for Alberta and being reassured by her, I rushed to the toilet. Alberta gave me a queer look, 'Are you pregnant?' she asked bluntly. She wasn't deaf to the rumors of my shameful night with Adrian. She was one of the few people who knew about Dimitri and I, and despite her close friendship with Dimitri, she never expressed her opinions to me, preferring not to take sides. I shook my head as I quickly rushed off. 'Lissa!' I yelled out, hoping that would explain it to her. The idea of being pregnant with Adrian's child horrified me; as if my life wasn't complicated enough.

After washing my mouth, I decided to head back to the hotel to check on Lissa. As I rushed into the elevator, a crumpled piece of paper lying on the floor caught my eye. Someone must have dropped it. Opening it up, it read: _D, some trouble in paradise at last? I'll be seeing you soon, Alex._

I felt my blood run cold. Even Alex knew about Katrina. My heart plummeted and felt like retreating back to my room to hide for all eternity. I re-read the note before folding it in half. There was something unnerving about it. _At last?_ What was that supposed to mean? It almost seemed as though Alex had… Anticipated it.

My mind was already full with wedding preparations so I shook it off and walked towards Dimitri's room, where I knew the boys would be getting ready. I wondered how handsome Dimitri would look in his suit and the contractions in my heart started up again.

'What do you want?' Eddie poked his head around the door.

'Why so secretive?' I said, amused, 'It's usually the bride who's all shy and restrained,'

Eddie laughed, 'Christian is having trouble gelling his hair; he doesn't want anyone to see it until he gets it right,'

I laughed, 'Sparky, turning vain aren't you?'

'Piss off, Rose!' was his agitated reply.

I grinned at Eddie and looked down at the piece of paper in my hand, 'I think this belongs to Dimitri – I found it on the floor; tell him that he should be more careful,'

'Why don't you tell him yourself? Here, I'll call him over,'

'No!' I said a little too hastily, grabbing onto Eddie's arm, 'Just give it to him,' I said, as I pushed the note into his hand. I spun around quickly on my heels and ran towards the elevator to take me to Lissa's suite, leaving Eddie bewildered and confused.

'Ayeshah!' I exclaimed as I rounded the corner, nearly running into her. She stumbled backwards and I caught her quickly, 'Ayeshah, we need to talk,'

She narrowed her eyes at me but stayed silent. 'Ayeshah, please. What happened between Adrian and I, I didn't mean for it… I was… Look, I had just broken up with Dimitri and I was terribly upset…' I begged. Talking about Dimitri again was making me tear up. So much for being a strong Guardian.

'What? You broke up with Dimitri?' she said incredulously. I nodded forlornly. It wasn't a surprise as I had been holed up in my room preparing for the wedding all week, and not really filling everyone in with the latest developments in Rose's love life. Besides, I didn't think Adrian, Lissa or Christian would be the gossiping type, 'It's a long story and this is probably not the best day to talk about it because Lissa's getting married in less than an hour… But, look. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way. It was an accident; a horrible, terrible accident and me breaking up with Dimitri is not an excuse for doing what I did,'

She looked at me sadly, 'I'm sure whatever you're going through with Dimitri can be worked out; you guys love each other so much,'

I thought I was going to crumble in her arms but I composed myself and forced a brave smile, 'let's go, we need to go calm Lissa's nerves, they're driving me insane,'

Lissa was pacing the room when I got to her. 'Are we too young?' she exclaimed when I walked through the door, 'How does he know I'm the one for him? What if this is too fast?'

'Lissa, as much as the boy drives me insane at times, I know one thing is for sure. He loves you, you're his world and more,' I tried to reassure her, holding on to her so she would stop pacing, 'you're about to have a family together. I know he'll love you with all his heart, and if he doesn't, I'll break every bone in his body,'

That managed to make her smile a little. She nodded to herself, 'You're right, you're always right. I can do this…' and after pausing for a while, she said, 'Do I look okay?'

'Are you kidding? You look absolutely gorgeous,' I smiled radiantly at her and she gave me a quick hug. I told Mia and Ayeshah to look out for the boys and to make sure that the coast was clear before I shuffled Lissa into the limousine that was waiting for us. I knew Christian would try to sneak a look at Lissa beforehand and I wasn't going to let it happen. Fortunately, the coast was clear and we all piled into the limousine, barely able to contain our excitement.

When we reached the place, I took a quick peek at the altar and Christian was standing there, his back turned towards me. His hair looked fine from where I was standing; he must have managed to fix it in time. Eddie, Dimitri and Adrian also had their backs turned towards me; looking like a row of men in black. I saw my parents sitting close to the front and Tasha was whispering to my mum excitedly. I gave the first violinist the signal and the violins started to play. The boys turned around as I quickly sneaked back around to where Lissa, Mia and Ayeshah were waiting. As the melodic tunes of Canon in D started, Ayeshah lead the procession, followed by Mia, walking slowly and steadily towards the gazebo where Christian was standing with his groomsmen. Lissa had a death grip on my arm and I tried to soothe her nerves.

'You know I'll always be here for you,' I said and I could see a tear start to form in the corner of her eye. I quickly wiped it away, not wanting to ruin her make-up.

'Thank you,' she sniffled, 'For being the very best,'

I grinned at her, 'Come on, time to become Mrs. Ozera,'

She let out a small squeal of excitement and we started our walk towards the gazebo. Everyone stood up as I lead Lissa through. I could see the sun starting to set in the background, lending an orange glow that was reflected on the lake. It couldn't be more beautiful, more perfect. Christian looked dazed as we walked towards him, like he couldn't believe his luck. Dimitri looked more than handsome. The golden rays of the sun lit up behind him and he looked even more like a Russian God. He must have cut his hair because it was no longer in a ponytail. There was a hint of stubble around his face and I longed for him to rub it against my body. He looked even more rugged than he usually did, even sexier than I remembered him to be. His face was unreadable as usual, but when our eyes met, it was electric. I wondered if he was thinking about the night I put the dress on for him because I sure as hell was. I was suddenly engulfed with an overwhelming sense of loss. I missed the cheeky banter between us, his stern looks when I misbehaved, his long lectures on life, death and everything in between. He was undoubtedly, irrevocably the love of my life.

Lissa's excitement bubbled through me, making my stomach flip inside but maybe it was Dimitri's intense gaze on me that made my stomach flip as well. I tore my eyes away from him, knowing that if I looked at him anymore, I would trip over myself or do something incredibly embarrassing. It would just be my luck for something like that to happen. I smiled at my parents as we neared the end of the walk – thank God, it was starting to get too long for my liking. They beamed proudly at Lissa and I and I heard them whisper their congratulations loudly. Parents, aren't they embarrassing? They could've waited until the ceremony was over. As if she cared about congratulations right now!

I gave Lissa's hand to Christian, who looked like he was about to tear up.

'Remember, be good,' I warned, 'or else,' and I drew my fingers across my throat.

'You always know how to ruin the moment,' Christian rolled his eyes at me, snatching Lissa's hand from mine. I stuck my tongue out at him, much to the horror of the pastor.

I quickly took my place beside Lissa as the pastor stared me down. He should seriously lighten up; it's not his wedding. He droned on and on about duty and protection; I tried to stifle a yawn. It may be my best friend's wedding, but sermons still bore me. I took the opportunity to survey my hard work. Lissa had wanted doves to be released but I refused; animals hated me, what chance did I have of securing doves to release at her wedding? Aside from the lack of doves, everything turned out brilliantly. Everyone was seated at their tables and looked like they were getting along. There were fairy lights strung up everywhere, waiting to be lit up as soon as the sun went down. The faint scent of lilies was in the air and birds chirped in the distance. Lissa and Christian said their vows and when the pastor declared that Christian could kiss his bride, the photographers went crazy snapping away at them – I'm sure Lissa would have a fun time going through them, picking out her favourite.

The celebrations started after Christian and Lissa were declared husband and wife. The wine flowed and food was loaded onto our plates. Lissa, Christian and their bridal party all sat together on one table; which meant that I spent most of the night avoiding looking at Dimitri. Adrian sat beside me and draped his arm around me, much to Ayeshah's annoyance I was sure. I looked at her apologetically and she gave me a small smile. The fairy lights lit up the place beautifully and the candles on the tables lit up everyone's faces. There was wine, music and dancing. I leaned back in my chair, satisfied at how well I was able to pull this wedding off. Lissa and Christian must have one hell of an inheritance because all this didn't come cheap.

'Good job, Rose,' Christian said, raising his glass towards me, 'Maybe you can give up your job as a Guardian,'

'A thank you would've been enough,' I said sarcastically. He laughed, obviously not in the mood to continue bantering with me, 'Thank you, very much,'

'Care for a dance?' Adrian leaned in and whispered dangerously close to my ear, making me jump slightly in my seat. He grinned at me, and offered his hand out. I looked at Ayeshah and she urged me silently. I shrugged and took Adrian's hand. It was a slow song and Adrian held me close as we waltzed on the dance floor. There were a few wolf whistles but I willed myself to control my temper and not break some necks.

'Now isn't this nice?' Adrian said, resting his head against mine. Yeah it was nice, if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't feel anything but friendship for him, that Ayeshah would be more suitable in my current position and that Dimitri was pissed off and looked like he was going to punch something.

From the depths of my stomach, I felt my dinner start to rise within me. Oh damn! I tried to swallow it down to no avail. I quickly broke away from Adrian and rushed to the bathroom. I saw Dimitri scrape his seat back to come after me as Adrian called out for me. I retched into the toilet bowl in what must have been the most unladylike display ever.

'Rose?' my mum pushed open the door to the cubicle. Great.

'Are you okay?' she enquired. I nodded, wiping my mouth clean, 'Lissa's pregnant and I seemed to have gotten all her symptoms,'

Her eyes opened wide with excitement, 'Lissa's pregnant?'

'Shh!' I told her, clasping a hand over her mouth, 'I don't know if she wants to announce it yet; but yeah she is. And I'm stuck with vomiting! I'm getting the raw end of the whole shadow-kissed thing,'

'Don't say that,' my mum said sternly, 'it gives you an edge as a Guardian,'

I rolled my eyes at her, 'Yeah, it's nice to see you too mum. Besides, it's not always about work!'

I made my way back to my table. 'What happened?' Adrian demanded.

'You know… Pregnant,' I whispered, nodding inconspicuously at Lissa. 'Ah…' Adrian nodded, understanding.

'WHAT?' Dimitri yelled, drawing the attention of nearby guests. He was staring murderously at me, as if I had committed the worse crime in the world. A vein was throbbing dangerously on the side of his forehead.

'Hey, what's with the yelling?' I hissed at him.

Lissa looked up at the two of us, alarmed. Dimitri narrowed his eyes at me, 'What did you say before?'

'Hey, what's with the yelling?' I repeated. Was he stupid or what?

'Before that!' he was clearly frustrated.

'That's none of your business!' I declared. I wasn't about to announce Lissa's massive news to the world, 'Besides, stop ruining the party,'

His eyes went black, like the soul had been sucked out of him. He stared at me coldly and quietly said, 'I can't believe you'd do this,'

He stormed off into the masses as I stared after him, my jaw open with disbelief. His mood swings were seriously worse than Lissa's hormones.

'Freaking talk about moody!' I declared, taking my seat beside Lissa, exasperated, 'and I think you've learned to transfer your morning sickness type thing to me; here you are eating lobsters, whilst the smell of it is enough to make me sick,'

Lissa looked at me apologetically, 'It's amazing; I don't know how. You must have taken it away because I don't feel the least bit sick. I'm so sorry though. I've heard that lime makes it better?'

'I'm not going to suck on a fucking lime!' I declared as I pushed my plate away. The smell was enough to send me back to the toilet. 'Don't worry, the doctor said it should only last for a few weeks at the start,' Lissa said.

'How long is 'a few weeks'?'

Lissa shrugged, 'I would imagine 3-4 weeks, but it's been more than that, so I don't know,'

'You've been pregnant for more than a month and you didn't tell me?' I hissed at her.

She looked at me apologetically, 'we didn't want to get too excited about it and the doctor said that there was a high chance of miscarriage in the first few weeks because of Spirit; I wanted to make sure before telling you,'

I furrowed my brows. Maybe if she stopped using Spirit to block me out, she wouldn't be too worried about losing the baby, I thought bitterly. But, how could I stay angry at her? 'It's okay. As long as you and the baby are safe now,' I smiled, 'when are you going to announce the news?'

'Soon,' Lissa said excitedly. Christian squeezed her hand and they looked lovingly at each other. I turned away, not wanting to be witness to their exchange of affection. I looked out towards the dance floor and Mia and Eddie were dancing together, gazing into each others' eyes. A small smile played on my lips. They looked cute together, especially when they tried so hard to make everyone think that their relationship was merely experimental, and nothing too serious.

Ayeshah and Adrian were debating heatedly about something political. It looked more like Ayeshah was debating and Adrian was merely goading her on, riling her up. I could see from the amused expression he was wearing that he was enjoying it. She, on the other hand, was exasperated at his blasé nature.

I saw my dad stride towards our table and I beamed at him. 'How are you?' he said, resting a hand on the back of my chair, 'Found a boyfriend yet?'

I made sure my smile never faltered as I shook my head. 'What's wrong with men these days? Are they blind or what?' he teased. It made me laugh. He sat down beside me, 'don't worry, it'll be your wedding day soon enough,'

I rolled my eyes at him, 'I'm too interested in fighting; no guy is going to want that,'

'Their loss,' he shrugged. Pulling me up from my seat, he said, 'Come, give your old dad a dance,' I got up reluctantly; I had stayed away from the dance floor for most of the night because I wasn't in the mood for dancing and the nausea in my stomach wasn't helping.

'Something bothering you?' dad asked intuitively as he led me to the dance floor.

I shook my head and flashed him my brightest smile, 'I'm all good; just a little tired from all the wedding planning,'

He nodded and seemed satisfied with my answer, 'You've done a great job; I can't wait until it's your turn,'

He should seriously stop talking about weddings. 'What's with the obsession with marrying me off?'

Dad laughed, 'Your mum and I aren't getting any younger, Rose. We'd love to have grandkids,' his eyes flashed cheekily.

I groaned, 'Dad, talk about pressure,' I felt my stomach sink; I knew my parents would not approve of me being with Dimitri, not that it was relevant anymore. It stopped being relevant when he cheated remember? I reminded myself, and I hardened my heart. Dad chuckled as he spun me around, 'I'm sure you won't have any problems finding someone,'

Yeah, the only problem was that my heart was already broken by the only one who mattered.

...

Christian and Lissa decided to announce the news of their baby that night and everyone congratulated and toasted them further. 'They really are perfect,' Ayeshah sighed to me. Yeah, tell me about it, I thought to myself, envious of their relationship and what they had together. I wanted this. I wanted the happy ending. The fairytale. Dimitri didn't return to our table that night; instead I caught glimpses of him hanging out with Tasha and Angus and several Guardian friends of his. A few times, I caught him staring at me intensely whilst I danced with Christian, Adrian or some other guy. Sometimes, I'd see a flicker in his eyes. Longing? Hope? Love? I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure how we would ever move past this. First with him and Katrina; then with me and Adrian. But I knew that every time I felt his eyes on me, it was as if my whole body would ignite in flames, as if he were undressing me with his eyes. I didn't get anywhere close to him all night, and yet, it felt as though his fingers were merely an inch away from me.

I shook my head curtly, more to myself than to anyone else. _He's gone. We're over._

_Are you?_ A small voice inside of me asked. I quickly silenced it. It's annoying to have your own inner voice contradict your higher reasoning, moral voice. _Is what you're doing higher reasoning?_

I had had enough of listening to myself debate; it was fun when I bantered with someone else, not so fun when you're bantering with yourself. I stalked off to find someone who could distract me from my own thoughts, but Lissa was caught up with Christian, Eddie with Mia and even Adrian was engrossed in conversation with Ayeshah. I walked towards Alberta and she gave me a wary look. I knew better than to question her about security; she had a look that said, _everything is fine, don't ask_.

Thankfully, there were no Strigoi attacks. 'I told you not to worry,' Alberta said stiffly at the end of the night, as I thanked her and the Guardians for their work. I smiled sheepishly at her and apologized for being obsessive.

I threw up periodically throughout the reception and by the end of it, was not only physically exhausted from all the retching that I was doing, but also mentally exhausted from battling away people's concerns about me. I was clearly not okay – I didn't understand the concept of continuously asking me if I was when I sure as hell didn't look okay.

Lissa and Christian planned to embark on their honeymoon after the baby was born. I didn't know what was going to happen when Lissa and Christian go away on their honeymoon. Would I be stuck with their crying, screaming bundle of joy? Would Dimitri and I be required to go on honeymoon with them, considering we're their Guardians? I considered the thought of spending 2 weeks, possibly in some resort island place like Hawaii or Fiji, with Dimitri. It horrified me; it would be pure torture, and would most likely happen. I could envision us being in paradise, and yet so far from it at the same time...

...

'This is getting ridiculous!' I exclaimed to Lissa one day. She was rubbing her small bump lovingly. 'I'm going to see the doctor about this,' I decided, pacing back and forth in front of her. It had been 2 weeks after her wedding and I was still as sick as a dog. Lissa was oblivious to my concerns as she eagerly anticipated the birth of her baby. She merely nodded at my decision and I left her huffily.

'Dr. Volkov!' I burst into the infirmary, demanding to see my regular doctor. I wasn't in the mood for negotiations that day. I had been kept up all night throwing my guts out. I was either experiencing a severe case of food poisoning, or there was something seriously wrong with Lissa's pregnancy. Surely, morning sickness can't last this long. At the rate I was going, I would be void of any fluids in my body.

I was seen after a 15 minute wait, in which I spent pacing in front of the receptionist, who was getting increasingly nervous just by looking at me.

'Why do I keep throwing up?' I demanded, once I was seated in Dr. Volkov's office. She asked me for my symptoms and I rattled them off impatiently as she smiled serenely, jotting down everything I said.

'Have you done a pregnancy test?' she asked matter-of-factly.

I balked at the idea, 'No! Of course not; I'm not pregnant. Dhampirs don't get pregnant,'

'Dhampirs can get pregnant if they have been with a Moroi,' she said, as if reading from a textbook.

'I know that!' I snapped, 'and I haven't been with a…'

I stopped mid-sentence and felt the color drain from my face. No. I couldn't be. Not from just one night.

'Guardian Hathaway?' Dr. Volkov's voice cut through my thoughts. I blinked stupidly at her, trying to register what was possibly happening to me. I shook my head vehemently. No. It couldn't be. I'll take the stupid pregnancy test and I'll prove her wrong. Stupid doctor doesn't know what she's talking about.

'Alright, give me the damn test and I'll go do it,' I said sulkily. Sometimes I wonder how she deals with me; I must be her surliest patient by far. After pissing on a stick that she gave me, I walked back into her office and sat quietly in the chair, staring at the stick, willing it to indicate negative.

Double lines turned up on the stick and I felt an immense sense of relief. 'See, double lines! I'm not pregnant, now can we do some proper tests on me?' I cheered silently.

'Guardian Hathaway, double lines means you're pregnant,' Dr. Volkov said somberly. My mind went blank. Oh she is so funny. Double lines means I'm not pregnant.

I laughed nervously at her, 'Please Dr. Volkov, my job is taxing enough; don't play games with me, I know that double lines means I'm not pregnant,'

'Guardian Hathaway, double lines means you're pregnant,' she repeated herself.

'You don't know what you're talking about!'

'With all due respect, you don't need to be a doctor to know that double lines means positive,' she was starting to get irritated with me.

'But…' I stammered, 'I can't be. I can't be pregnant,'

'I know this is a bit of a shock to you; it is often the case with new mothers. Having a baby is a very exciting thing and I can help you with your journey. We can run some blood tests to confirm the result, but I can assure you that you are pregnant,' she said as she scribbled notes into my file again, 'He's a lucky man,'

Oh God help me. What have I done to deserve this? I agreed to have the blood tests done, but she had already confirmed my deepest fears. How am I going to tell Dimitri? Any hopes I had of reconciling with him went out of the window. What is Lissa going to think? Oh God, what will Adrian say? My head was swirling with questions. I was sure I needed some kind of divine intervention to help me out of the mess I was in.

'The stick must be faulty!' I blurted out. Yes, the stick must be faulty. Dr. Volkov looked at me in exasperation but handed me another stick nonetheless. After consuming another bottle of water and pacing about for 5 minutes, I pissed on the stick again. Double lines. Oh fuck.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Rose's Point of View**

Lissa wasn't in when I returned, and neither was Christian. I made my way towards the kitchen to grab a cold drink when I saw Dimitri sitting on the sofa, reading one of his Western novels. He must have just gotten off duty because he was still dressed in his Guardian clothes. My stomach did a back flip as I considered telling him about my pregnancy. This was ridiculous; how could I be pregnant when I'm a Guardian? How was I going to continue guarding Lissa? I knew that when Adrian found out, he would insist that I marry him and become his Guardian instead. I had to tell Dimitri, he was going to find out sooner or later, and I would prefer if he found out from me instead of from someone else.

'Hey,' I walked up to and sat myself opposite him. He lowered his book slowly and gave me a restrained smile. We hadn't talked in a long time and my heart raced nervously as I looked at him. He looked as handsome as always, albeit a little tired. It must have been a long day for him. And I felt horrible about making it worse.

'Can I talk to you?' I asked nervously, staring at my hands.

'Of course,' he said gently and my heart constricted painfully. I missed him so much. We saw each other every day, but the distance between us couldn't be further. Suddenly, his crime didn't seem so big anymore in light of what happened between Adrian and me.

'I don't know how to tell you this…' I started, 'I… I really didn't want this to happen. I'm really sorry about it… It just happened you know… You're never going to forgive me…' I knew I was rambling, but I didn't know how to broach the subject otherwise. 'I… I just wanted to tell you…'

'What is it Rose?' he asked, his voice was gentle but firm. A lump rose up in my throat and for a few seconds I couldn't speak. I knew that once I told him, I would lose him forever and I couldn't. He would hate me, and I couldn't think of anything worse. But I couldn't lie to him either. It wouldn't be fair on him and he would hate me even more if he found out from someone else.

'I need to tell you something…' I started up again, staring intently at the carpeted floor, not daring to look into his eyes. I knew it would kill me to see the betrayal in his eyes when I finally told him. 'I know you're going to be angry, I know you're going to hate me…'

'I could never hate you,' he said softly and I felt my tears start to fall. He reached out to wipe one of them away but I backed away from his touch. I couldn't let him touch me; it would only make all of this harder.

'What's going on?' he asked, confused and hurt by my rejection.

I let out a deep sigh, 'I wish this wasn't happening… But I wanted you to hear it from me first…'

_Here goes nothing,_ I thought as I looked into his eyes and said the words that would change my world forever, 'I'm pregnant,'

It took a few seconds for him to register what I had just said. I could almost see the gears turn in his head as he realized what I was telling him. His expression changed from surprise to horror to pure, unabated fury. He was gripping the edges of the sofa tightly, his knuckles almost white.

'Adrian?' he croaked. Nothing I did could control the barrage of tears that ensued as I felt my heart slowly recede into my chest. It was as if it knew there was no turning back now.

'I don't know,' I cried hysterically, 'I wish it wasn't but how else could it happen?'

Dimitri was shaking with anger as he fought to control himself. I saw the warmth gradually die out of his eyes and I knew it was over between us. I knew we could no longer salvage our relationship. I knew that I had lost him. 'That's what I thought at Lissa's wedding; until she announced her pregnancy, and I thought that maybe I heard you wrong,' he stared at something behind, 'I thought that you were throwing up because Lissa was transferring her symptoms to you,'

'She was!' I protested, 'It's what I thought at her wedding too,'

He let out a cold bark, 'But you're pregnant too,'

'I'm sorry,' I sobbed, not knowing what else to say to him.

'Send my congratulations to Adrian,' he said frostily as he got up to leave. I grabbed onto his arm; the touch of his skin was like fire under mine.

'Wait,' I begged, 'I love you,'

He looked at me and it was as if the lights had gone out within him. His eyes were black with anger and his lips formed a thin, hard, unforgiving line. 'I can't do this anymore,' he said in the same cold tone that made me shudder, 'You never gave me a chance to explain what happened with Katrina,'

'Please,' I begged, 'Tell me now,' I just wanted him to stay and talk to me longer.

He rolled his eyes sarcastically at me as he pushed my hand away. I let out a strangled sob as he did; he had never rejected me like this before but I guess I deserved it. What did I expect? 'I don't think it matters now,' he said, turning away from me.

'Dimitri, please,' I pleaded, I needed him to talk to me, I couldn't just lose him like this, 'It was a mistake! I didn't mean for it to happen!'

'I'm sorry,' he said. I detected a hint of regret in his voice, 'I'm handing in my resignation papers,'

'You're leaving?' I choked out.

'I'm going home,' he said, his back still turned towards me.

'But this is your home,' I said brokenly.

'Not anymore,' and with that, he walked out of the front door, leaving me in a devastated heap on the floor.

…

'Rose, Rose!' Lissa shook me as I slowly opened my eyes. I must have fallen asleep, crying.

'Rose!' Lissa insisted. Her sense of urgency flooded me and I sat up straight on the sofa. My hair was matted all along one side of my face.

'What happened? Are you okay? What's wrong?' I fired questions at her, as all the possibilities of Strigoi attacking her ran through my head.

'No, no, I'm okay,' Lissa's eyes were blood shot, 'Dimitri's been in an accident. We need to go,'

I felt my blood run cold as I stared at her blankly. Lissa shook me again, 'Rose, did you hear me? Dimitri's hurt, we have to go,'

I nodded at her silently as I rose from my bed. My mind was blank, as if it was trying to reject this piece of information. Lissa piled me into Christian's car whilst we sped towards the site of the accident. Eddie was on the phone to Lissa the whole time and from what I could gather from Eddie and Lissa, Dimitri had sped out of the house on his motorcycle, and Eddie saw him. Sensing something was wrong, Eddie followed him closely. A car had sideswiped Dimitri and knocked him off his motorbike. Eddie saw Dimitri's body slam into the side barriers on the freeway, and fall limp on the side. Then, as Eddie pulled over to help, a group of Strigoi started to advance towards Dimitri; but thankfully, because it was peak hour traffic, they retreated back into the shadows once a crowd of people started to gather around them. 'Hurry, the ambulance have been called, so Lissa we need you to come over to heal him before that,' Eddie said urgently.

I heard myself silently screaming.

…

Dimitri looked so lifeless when we reached him. I'm sure Christian broke every road rule in the book as he drove us towards the scene. Lissa promptly walked over to Dimitri and placed her hands on his chest; Christian, Alberta and Adrian worked at scattering the crowds and liaising with the police. I walked towards Lissa, feeling her Spirit pass through me. It filled me with hope; Dimitri will be okay. Lissa is a champion healer.

A few minutes later, Lissa opened her eyes and looked at me tearfully.

'What's wrong?' I demanded, my voice came out as a croak.

'I don't know what's happening, but he's still not waking up; I don't know why,' Lissa whispered.

'What do you mean?' I half-shouted, 'Why can't you heal him?'

'I don't know, Rose, I don't know. It's never happened like this before,' tears started to brim over.

I looked around frantically. There had to be a solution. 'Adrian!' I called out, rushing over to him, 'You have to heal Dimitri, you know how to heal right? Macca's taught you how to heal…'

'Rose,' Adrian gripped my shoulders tightly, 'I don't know how to heal better than Lissa…'

'HEAL HIM ADRIAN!' I screamed, 'You HAVE to do something! You HAVE TO!'

Adrian nodded and walked over to Dimitri, casting me tentative looks. He closed his eyes, and I held onto all the hope there was in the world.

'I'm sorry, Rose,' Adrian said after a few minutes, his shoulders slumped.

'No,' I cried, 'No, you're not trying hard enough!'

'Rose…' Lissa started. I could hear tears in her voice, 'We tried; I don't know…'

'NO!' I screamed at her, 'YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH!'

'Ma'am, we need you to step aside,' a blonde policeman intervened. I shouted something at him, and he and his colleague had to restrain me by force, as the paramedics arrived to take Dimitri away to the hospital. I was given a couple of pills to help me calm down, and once the police were satisfied that I wouldn't hurt myself or the people around me, drove me to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Lissa kept trying to talk to me, but it was all background noise. I was broken inside – what could these humans do that Morois with special powers couldn't?

When we walked into the emergency room, Dimitri was lying unconscious on the starched hospital bed. His head was covered in bandages. _It's your fault_; a little voice said within me, _if you hadn't told him, he would've been safe. _Lissa went to speak with the doctors to find out his current situation.

'The doctor said that there's a lot of internal bleeding and that there's only a 10 percent chance that he will live,' Lissa sobbed, her words running into each other, 'They're going to operate on him and see what they can do,'

All I could do was stare at her. _10 percent chance. Operation. A car side swiped him. Speeding. _I couldn't think straight. _10 percent chance. _

I turned to look at the doctor. His eyes were bloodshot. It must've been a long day for him. He looked like he was in his mid-50s. His eyes were bloodshot, but kind and sympathetic. He must be used to dealing with distressed families. Distressed. Was that what I was? I wasn't sure. All I could hear in my head were 'operation and '10 percent chance'.

_10 percent chance._ That wasn't high at all.

'Rose!' Lissa sobbed as she shook me, 'Please say something,'

So I looked into the doctor's kind eyes and begged, 'Please save him, he's all I've got,'

He nodded somberly and motioned for his team to go through the doors of the operating theatre. Lissa held onto me tightly, as I felt the brunt of her emotions hit me. I staggered towards a chair and sat myself down. Christian handed me some water and I took it, as I continued to stare blankly at the white hospital walls. I heard Lissa sobbing down the hallway, as Christian tried to soothe her. Alberta was pacing in front of me as Adrian sat next to me, not knowing quite what to say. I oscillated between wanting to scream, and wanting to cry; between wanting to take my sorrow out on the walls, and wanting to curl up in a ball so the whole world would fade away.

_10 percent chance._ I couldn't lose hugged me tightly He has to live. _Dimitri, please,_ I silently begged, _you have to live, what will I do without you? _

…

5 hours later, the doctor walked through the doors of the operating theatre, looking tired and solemn. In my catatonic state, I didn't even bother walking up to him to ask how Dimitri was. Lissa hurled herself at the doctor, and fired away questions, not bothering to wait for the answer.

'Dimitri is okay for now,' the doctor said wearily.

'What do you mean for now?' Lissa demanded.

'He's out of the danger zone, but he will require intense monitoring over the next few days because anything could happen,'

Lissa breathed a sigh of relief and turned to me, 'Did you hear that Rose? He's okay, Rose, he's okay,'

I looked up at Lissa, and before I knew what hit me, felt sobs rack through my body. Lissa rushed over to hold me as she rubbed her hands up and down my back soothingly. 'It was my fault,' I sobbed as relief, anguish, frustration, and fear overwhelmed me.

'It's not your fault; how is it your fault?' Lissa reasoned, which only served to make me sob harder.

'Mrs. Ozera,' the doctor started - it was strange hearing someone call Lissa that, 'Mr. Belikov will be at the Intensive Care Unit for the next week, and I'm afraid I can only afford to let Ms. Hathaway and one other guest in at a time. Ms. Hathaway because she was listed as Mr. Belikov's next of kin,'

_Next of kin_. Was that what I was? Dimitri's next of kin?

Lissa nodded, 'Thank you so much, doctor. Thank you so, so much. You don't know how much this means to us,'

He nodded sagely, 'Remember, he still needs intensive care. He's not entirely safe. Anything could happen over the next week. He should wake in the next 24 to 48 hours; but when he does, I want you to take extreme care not to excite him too much. It could cause a rupture in his brain, and he may start hemorrhaging. We need him stabilized over the next week,'

Lissa nodded eagerly, 'I promise we'll look after him,'

The doctor nodded and left with his team. 'He's safe, Rose,' Lissa repeated to me, 'He's safe, we'll be able to see him soon,'

I shook my head, 'I can't. I can't see him,'

'What do you mean?' Lissa demanded, 'The doctor said you can see him, you're his next of kin. I'm sure he'll want to see you when he wakes up. You guys can put aside all this silly nonsense that you have been arguing about. We nearly lost him, Rose; these doctors did what Adrian and I couldn't do,'

'He won't want to see me, Liss,' I said brokenly, 'You heard the doctor, we can't excite him too much. We might lose him,'

'Well, I'm sure he'll be excited to see you, but I'm sure he won't be so excited that he ruptures a blood vessel!' Lissa was incredulous.

I shook my head, 'I need to go home, please look after him for me, Liss,'

As I got up to leave, Lissa held my shoulders and spun me around. 'What the hell is going on?' she demanded, as frustration and anguish coursed through the bond, 'Why don't you want to see him? Does Dimitri not mean anything to you anymore?'

Tears seeped out of the side of my eyes. 'Of course he does,' I whispered, 'But it's my fault he's lying on a hospital bed, broken. Dimitri's never broken. It's my fault,'

'Oh Rose,' Lissa sighed and pulled me into a hug.

We eventually came to a compromise. I would go over to the Intensive Care Unit, but I wouldn't be there when he woke up.

His eyes were closed, as if he were sleeping peacefully. He was covered in bandages, and was hooked up to a myriad of tubes. My heart squeezed painfully as I saw him lie there helplessly. The heart rate monitor was beeping steadily, indicating that he was alive.

'Oh baby,' I breathed out as Lissa quickly whipped out her mobile, 'Why didn't I think of this before!'

'What?' I asked, but Lissa merely smiled.

'Macca,' Lissa spoke into the phone, 'We really, really need your help… It's Dimitri. There's been an accident,'

Questions swirled around my head. Why couldn't Lissa heal now? Would Macca really be able to help? He's much more knowledgeable and a lot more powerful than Lissa and Adrian combined but…

'He's on his way,' Lissa informed curtly, 'Don't worry, Rose. We'll find a way to heal him,'

I sat silently next to Dimitri as we waited for Macca to arrive. His hand was warm as I held it between mine. He smelt exactly like the sterilized hospital sheets, but I managed to catch a whiff of his aftershave. Tears threatened to overwhelm me again as I imagined what it was like for him to leave the house after I broke the news to him, hop onto his motorbike and speed away into the night.

'It's okay, Rose, don't worry,' Lissa tried to comfort me as I tried to control my sobs.

'Liss, I have a confession to make,' I turned to her, my eyes avoiding hers. Lissa looked at me patiently as I squirmed in my seat and tried to compose myself, 'Liss, I'm pregnant,'

Lissa stared at me blankly for a few seconds, her eyes flitting back and forth between mine, taking a few seconds to register what I just told her. 'I just found out today,' I continued, 'I went to see Dr. Volkov. Before I told you or Adrian, I wanted to tell Dimitri first. I didn't want him to hear it from someone else. I told him,'

'I told him, Liss, I told him,' I started to sob, 'And he said he was going to hand in his resignation papers, he was going to leave. He said he didn't know how this was ever going to work,'

I held my head in my hands as the tears kept falling, 'And then he left the house. He hopped onto his motorcycle and sped off. And here he is now, Liss. Here he is now. It's all my fault, and I don't know what to do. I can't lose him,'

Lissa was silent for what seemed like forever as my sobs echoed around the room. 'I shouldn't have told him, I should've let him explain all those weeks ago,' I continued to rant, not knowing where this was taking me, 'We were so happy, Lissa, and now he's here. He's barely hanging on; I mustn't be here when he wakes up, I need to go home. He won't want to see me here,'

I stood up to leave, but Lissa held me down. She reached out to wipe my tears, still choosing to remain silent, whilst doing an amazing job of keeping her emotions from me. She was thoughtful like that – she knew I would pick up any judgment, even the slightest, on her part and it really wouldn't be helpful now. She hugged me tightly.

'Lissa, I don't know what to do,' I cried into her hair, 'I've broken him,'

'Shh,' Lissa said soothingly, rubbing circles on my back, 'It's okay, we'll bring him back, he's safe for now. The doctor said so remember? Shh, it will all be okay. You need to calm down, it's not good for your baby,'

'I don't want it!' I half shouted, pulling back from Lissa, 'Look what it's done!'

'Rose, the baby's innocent,' Lissa chided sternly. I slumped back into my chair and sighed defeatedly, 'I know. It's my fault. I shouldn't have gotten drunk and slept with Adrian,'

Lissa looked at me sadly for a few minutes when her phone beeped. 'Macca's here,' she said, as she got up to fetch him, 'I'll use compulsion on the nurses so they'll let him in,'

I turned to Dimitri's silent form on the bed and reached out to stroke his cheek. 'I love you,' I whispered softly, 'I know it doesn't make a difference to you now, but I love you. Please come back, please wake up. I promise if you do, I'll leave. I'll never bother you again, I'll never hurt you again. Just, please open your eyes. I'll go back to America, I'll give up guarding Lissa. Please Dimitri. I love you…'

I thought I saw his eyelids twitch, but that could've been my imagination. I stared at him for a few minutes, and saw nothing move again. His heartbeat was constant. At least there was that, I comforted myself, _at least he's still alive_.

I heard the door open a few minutes later as Lissa showed Macca in. Macca shook his head in disbelief at the sight of Dimitri and said, 'Okay, let's get down to business,'

I moved out of the way to let Macca sit beside Dimitri. Lissa held onto me tightly, whilst I maintained a death grip on her, willing with all my heart that Dimitri would wake up. Macca assumed the same position as Lissa did, and closing his eyes, placed both his hands on Dimitri's chest.

And again, nothing happened. The wounds didn't heal. Dimitri didn't open his eyes. I started to breathe heavily as panic rose within me. Macca opened his eyes and looked worried, 'He's blocking me out,'

'What do you mean?' I cried, semi-hysterically.

'I tried to walk his dreams, but I only managed to vaguely catch sight of him sitting next to a lake in what looked like remote wilderness in Siberia, before I was sent hurtling back into darkness,'

'What does that mean? Is he okay?' I heard my voice rising.

Macca rubbed his temples and furrowed his eyebrows, 'Sometimes, Rose. Rarely, but sometimes, when someone has lost the will to live, they can refuse everything, even magic, even Spirit. The reason why Lissa and Adrian couldn't heal him before was because the darkness surrounding him was too strong for them; hell, it was nearly too strong for me. I didn't get to see Dimitri for long, but he was staring at a deep, black lake. I vaguely heard him ask himself whether he should jump. When he turned and saw me, his eyes were black. I don't think I've ever seen Dimitri like that before. He knew you sent me, so he blocked me out. I couldn't get through to him. The doctors saved him physically – Dimitri's soul has less control over his physical wounds, but to aide his recovery, to actually save him, we need to heal his soul. But…'

There was a long pause, 'he won't be healed,'

'No,' a single word escaped my lips as I felt my knees crumple beneath me. I heard Lissa call out my name, but equally, I felt the darkness consume me. _No._


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Rose's Point of View**

I stirred slightly and heard voices around me.

'You need to rest, Princess, it's been a long night,' a deep male voice said. It sounded like Macca, 'You and Adrian did good tonight… we did good,'

My eyes fluttered open to see Lissa nod silently at her mentor. Adrian was standing beside her, looking equally as exhausted as Macca. Lissa had her back to me, but I could tell from our bond, that she was exhausted.

I slowly sat up in the hospital bed. What the fuck? Why was I in a hospital bed?

'Ah, you're finally awake,' Macca said, smiling tiredly at me. I nodded, 'what happened?'

'You fainted,' Lissa said matter-of-factly. Now that I could see her, I could tell that she was beyond exhausted. She looked like she had just run a marathon with a baby on her back. I quickly jumped off my bed and offered it to her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep before I could ask her anymore questions.

'Would you like to see Dimitri now?' Macca asked gently. And that was when everything that had happened came hurtling back to me. Dimitri. 10 percent chance. Accident. Operation. Blocking Spirit. Lost the will to live.

'Is he okay?' I asked tentatively, fear creeping into my heart.

Adrian smiled tiredly at me, 'He is. Finally, he is,'

I breathed a sigh of relief, 'What happened? I thought you said he blocked you out,'

'He did,' Macca explained as he sat himself on the sofa. Patting the seat next to him, he indicated for me to sit down, 'I decided to use Lissa, Adrian and my Spirit to try and get through to him. Adrian's coming along beautifully with his dream walking, so with his and my abilities combined, we were finally able to get through Dimitri's mental block. Mind you, it wasn't easy was it, Adrian?'

Adrian laughed bitterly, 'Damn that Russian is a lot more pig-headed than I give him credit for! The number of times he fought against us, phew! No wonder we're all exhausted!'

'To cut a long story short, we only managed to get through to him on the eighth try. It was certainly a test of stamina more than anything else, and stamina is what Dimitri has a lot of. Thankfully, he's also injured, and there were two of us,'

'So once we finally got through to him, we got Lissa to join us. We had hoped she would talk some reason into him,' Macca continued, 'But his eyes remained haunted and black; and it took a lot of struggling before Lissa and I were able to heal him,'

Tears of relief clouded my vision as I slumped into a nearby chair, muttering, 'Thank God,' repeatedly. 'Oh, Macca, Adrian… Thank you so much,' I blubbered, not knowing what to do with myself. _He was safe, he was okay_. 'Can I… see him…?' I asked tentatively, not wanting to push my luck, 'The doctor said that he shouldn't have any excitement otherwise it would rupture a blood vessel, so if it's going to upset him too much, then I won't see him, it's okay really… But what do you think? Is he properly healed? Is he okay?' I rambled on.

Macca chuckled slightly, 'He's okay, Rose. You can see him. The doctors were amazed by his 'miraculous' recovery today, and weren't quite sure what happened!'

'Oh, thank you guys!' I flung my arms around his neck and gave Adrian a quick peck on his cheek before rushing out of the room to the Intensive Care Unit.

'Excuse me, miss, but it's not visiting hours,' a nurse tried to hold me back as I barraged my way through the hallway, looking for Dimitri's room.

'Listen, I'm looking for Dimitri. Belikov. Dimitri Belikov,' my words rushed out, 'I'm his next of kin, he's listed me as that, please let me see him. The doctor said I'm allowed in,'

'Hold on for a second, miss,' the nurse said in her calm, collected manner as I paced impatiently in front of the nurse's station. A minute later, she indicated that I had permission to go through, and she buzzed me in.

'Room 5, miss,' the nurse called out as I hurtled myself through the sliding doors.

I reached Room 5, and saw Dimitri's name written on the clipboard outside the door. My heart lurched forward as I tried to think of something to say. Suddenly, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to see him, whether it would be a good idea. What will I say to him? What will he say to me? What will he say about the baby?

I knocked on the door tentatively before letting myself in. The bed was empty, but I could see the outline of his form. _Where was he?_

I heard the bathroom door open, and there he was. His head was still bandaged, but other than that, he looked healthy. Healthy and alive. I could've broken down and cried at the sight of him. _Pull yourself together_, I kept telling myself, _pull yourself together_. His chest was bare, tanned and muscled. I felt my knees go weak with desire. _Seriously, Rose, this isn't the time to think about getting naked with him_.

'Dimitri,' I whispered. He remained still, his eyes as cold and dark as they were when I last saw them, 'Dimitri, I'm so sorry,'

He closed the space between us in two strides. His lips came crashing onto mine, as he wrapped his strong arms around me. 'Dimitri,' I whispered into his lips, tears gushing out of my eyes as I kissed him hungrily.

He pulled back suddenly, angrily, 'I loved you so much, Roza. I loved you so much, that the only way I can go from here is to hate you,'

And in the next second, his lips were back on mine. I stumbled backwards as he pushed me against the wall. His eyes blazed with hunger, desperation, and fury. I couldn't help but sigh into his kisses; it didn't matter whether he hated me or not, his kisses told me he loved me. His fingers sneaked underneath my top, and it was as if an electric current passed through me. I melted into his arms. I loved him.

'I hate you, Roza,' he panted as he pulled back again rapidly. He rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. I lifted my lips to his again, and he deepened it instantly.

'Dimitri, I love you,' I whispered tearfully, running my hands up and down his torso. He shivered under my touch, and I smiled at this. He ran his buried his fingers in my hair as he pulled me closer, his body grinding against mine. 'Dimitri,' I moaned as he lowered his lips to my neck.

Slowly, he brought his lips back to mine and slowly, painfully, withdrew from me. 'It was irresponsible of me to do what I did, I had no business running off to Russia,' he said quietly, lowering his eyes to the floor, 'Christian is my charge, I will guard him with my life,'

'So you're not leaving…?' I asked hopefully, maybe a little too hopefully because he shot me a sharp look.

'No. But we can't go on like this. I'm sorry for… before. We need to move on, not hover in the past,' he said. He was back to being business-like and stoic, back to being the mentor I knew, 'I'll be professional around our accommodation, and so should you. Maybe it's better this way,'

I reached out for him, but he took a step back, averting my gaze. 'Dimitri, I know you still love me,' I whispered, 'You say you don't, but that's not what your kisses say,'

'Dammit Rose!' he yelled, jolting me slightly. His eyes were red from the tears that were threatening to spill over, 'This is _not_ going to work!' So much for business-like.

'But why…' I pleaded, moving towards him again, 'I'm sorry, Dimitri! We can make this work; I'll do anything, please…'

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, 'I can't do this, Rose. I can't be with you, knowing that the child we're raising belongs to another man! I don't know how to do this,'

'I know you're angry, Dimitri, but …,'

'But what, Rose?' his contempt seeped into his every word, 'There is nothing you can do that will make anything better. Please, don't make this harder than it already is,'

'I hope you and Adrian have a wonderful life together,' he said sadly, as I wept, 'I'm sorry I couldn't be the father of your child,'

'I don't want it, Dimitri. Please… I only want you,'

'Don't be stupid, Roza,' his anger had dissipated and behind it was a broken man, 'Each life is a blessing. Maybe all this is meant to be,'

'If it's meant to be, then why does it feel so wrong?' I half-shouted at Dimitri.

'I'm sorry,' he said sadly, looking out the window, and after a minute's silence, added, 'You said that if I woke up, you'll leave me, you'll go away. It's impractical and ridiculous for you to leave Lissa, but I ask that you let whatever we had between us go,'

And with those words, I felt my heart shatter. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms tightly around him, sobbing profusely into his chest. He stiffened slightly before wrapping his arms around me and placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

'You h-heard,' I stammered.

'Of course, I hear everything you say,' there was a hint of tenderness in his voice.

I nodded and pulled away from him, swallowing mouthfuls of air as I prepared myself to walk away. I looked into his eyes. He had tears. I reached out to wipe a stray tear away from his beautiful eyes; he reached out to tuck a stray strand of my hair away. I steadied my breathing once again, 'I'll go away,' I promised, before tiptoeing to kiss him one last time.

'Roza…' his voice was barely a whisper as I gathered what was left of my dignity, spun around and walked out of his room.

…

'Get out!' I yelled as I stormed back into my hospital room, 'Get out, get out, get out!'

'Rose…' Lissa started towards me, but I merely pointed at the door. Adrian and Macca furrowed their brows – 'What happened?'

'GET OUT!'

'Rose, talk to us,' Lissa tried again, only to have me yelling back at her.

'Okay, you have to stop!' Lissa said solidly, 'I know you're pregnant, I know your hormones are going crazy but this has all. GOT. TO. STOP.'

'You're WHAT?' Adrian exclaimed.

'Oh great, Liss, I told you that in confidence! Just announce it to whole fucking world, why don't you!' I snapped angrily at Lissa, taking all the anger and frustration I was feeling inside at her.

'He has the right to know, Rose! You can't keep it from him forever!' Lissa insisted.

'Wait,' Adrian said loudly, 'Rose, you're pregnant?'

'I don't feel like talking about it,' I said, stubbornly.

'No, we're talking about it,' Adrian insisted and I rolled my eyes at him. 'What part of GET. OUT. Do you not understand?' I snapped.

'Cut it, Rose. This is important,' Adrian continued, 'Who's the father?'

'Well who the fuck do you think?' I glared at him, 'Despite what everyone thinks, I have only EVER slept with TWO people. One, is a Dhampir. Which leaves…?'

'Me,' Adrian's voice came out in a whisper, 'But…'

'But what?' I asked impatiently, 'I don't want to talk to anyone, so please, GET THE FUCK OUT!'

'But I never slept with you,' Adrian said slowly, 'You're pissed off because Dimitri won't talk to you. And Dimitri won't talk to you because you must have told him about being pregnant, and logically, he thought your child was mine,'

'You never slept with her?' Lissa asked dumbfoundedly.

'WHAT?' I yelled at Adrian.

'Your child is not mine. That night… When you were drunk… I knew I had to stay sober. I knew one of us had to be responsible. I knew your heart was broken, but I knew you loved him. Nothing happened that night. Sure, I changed you out of your clothes, and that was a bit of a treat for me, but I swear, I promise, I didn't touch you. We didn't do anything, so that child can't be mine,'

I stared at him disbelievingly. _WHAT?_

'I'm sorry Rose. I didn't tell you the truth because I wanted to protect you. I saw how hurt you were, I wanted Dimitri to hurt as much. It wasn't meant to end like this. I wanted to help you get back at him somehow, so I kept up the act. But this is all way out of hand now. It's not some game anymore. Your baby's not mine, Rose. Which means… Your baby's father is Dimitri…,'

Adrian turned to look at Macca for some form of enlightenment. Macca shrugged casually, as if he weren't witnessing the soap opera of the century, 'Look, it's not entirely impossible. I've heard rare cases like this in the past; I remember reading some case studies in the past. It has something to do with being shadow-kissed; somehow your genetic make-up changes, allowing parts of Moroi blood into you and thus allowing you to have children,'

I opened and closed my mouth in shock, not knowing what to say.

'So this whole thing is a misunderstanding. This is great news, Rose,' Lissa said enthusiastically. I merely looked at her and stammered, 'Dimitri…,'

'He needs to hear this,' Lissa said, taking charge. Adrian nodded his head urgently, and we all rushed towards Dimitri's room again, much to the annoyance of the nurses at the Intensive Care Unit. Lissa had to use some serious compulsion before they would let us pass.

Dimitri was standing by his window, staring at the sky when we knocked and entered. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of Adrian.

'What are you doing here?' he asked coldly.

'Dimitri…' I started out towards him, glowing with excitement. He merely stared at me coldly and dismissed me without really acknowledging me in the first place. A pang of rejection went off in my heart, but I reasoned that he didn't know the truth yet. So I held myself back whilst Adrian explained.

'Dimitri, listen,' Adrian started, 'I know I'm your least favourite person in the world right now, but there's been a massive misunderstanding…'

Dimitri narrowed his eyes further at Adrian. Unfazed, Adrian explained what happened, and Macca gave his expert opinion. Dimitri wasn't entirely convinced, but the lines on his face had visibly softened. 'How do I know you're not just conspiring with Rose?' Dimitri asked carefully.

'Look mate, I can bet you all I have that when that baby comes out, he or she will have your eyes, or your nose, or your jaw, or something of yours. I'm willing to bet every single thing I own,' Adrian challenged, 'I didn't touch Rose, man,'

'I know it sounds unbelievable, Dimitri, but you have to believe him,' Lissa said gently. Dimitri stared at all of us in disbelief; I could almost see the wheels turn in his head, putting the pieces altogether.

'So… That means…' he finally whispered.

'You're going to be a father,' Lissa whispered, matching his tone. I wasn't sure why everyone was whispering. I felt like shouting.

'I'm going to be a father,' Dimitri repeated, dumbly. There was an interesting play of emotions on his face. His eyes searched everyone's faces, trying to assess whether this was all just a cruel joke. It was so typical of him, always assessing for danger, always suspicious, always on guard. God, I loved this man. When his eyes finally landed on me, I wondered whether it was even legal for someone to be as handsome as he was.

'Rose…?'

I nodded at him as tears threatened to overwhelm me again. Damn these hormones!

'I'm going to be a father,' he repeated again as I rushed into his arms and he buried his face in my hair, 'Roza…'

'We're going to have a family,' I smiled into his chest, my heart brimming over with joy. He brought his lips to mine, 'I'm so sorry, Rose,'

'No, I'm sorry, Dimitri, I'm so sorry about everything,'

He shook his head vigorously as he kissed me again with renewed hunger. Lissa cleared her throat loudly, causing us to jump apart. 'I guess we better leave you two to celebrate,' Lissa smiled knowingly.

Adrian smiled at the two of us before leaving with Lissa and Macca. If he was melancholic about the reunion, he didn't show it. It was ironic that it was always Adrian who brought Dimitri and I together; always he who insisted on us seeing reason. I knew it took a lot for him to love from a distance, to see me share my life with Dimitri. _One day, he'll find her_, I found myself thinking as I stared at his receding back.

'It's like all we ever do is say goodbye,' I mused to myself, not really knowing what I was referring to.

'I don't want to ever say goodbye,' Dimitri said softly, as he turned me slowly to face him. The same eyes that were cold and uninviting were now warm and full of life. A small smile played on his lips as he tilted my chin upwards. He brought his lips to mine and the minute we touched, his kisses came with a renewed hunger, a desperation I had never felt from him before.

'Roza,'

I felt shivers down my spine as he whispered my name. His voice was so beautiful; I could hear him speak forever.

'I'm so sorry, Dimitri, I'm so sorry,'

'It's okay, Rose. We're okay now,'

'Oh, Dimitri, I love you so much, I'm so sorry about everything,' I couldn't help the tears that sneaked out.

Dimitri kissed my tears away, 'It's okay, I'm sorry too, I'm sorry about everything too,'

I shook my head, 'I was so stupid, I should've let you explain. We shouldn't have fought for so long,'

He chuckled, and it sounded like the angels were singing, 'I agree. We shouldn't have fought for so long, but I don't blame you for being angry at me. I was angry at you for being with Adrian, or at least I thought you were. I love you so much, I can't bear the thought of you being with someone else,'

I shook my head again, 'Let's not talk about that first, let's talk about you. Are you okay? Oh God, I was so scared you were going to die. When Macca said you had lost the will to live, I didn't know what to do. I was hysterical. I didn't know what to do, I felt so helpless. I felt like… I had spent all my life training to protect the people I love and yet… I couldn't…,'

'Roza,' Dimitri interrupted me as he tilted my chin up again so I was looking into his smiling warm, brown eyes, 'Maybe we should get married,'

I half-laughed, half-sobbed, 'maybe we should?'

He grinned at me as he led me towards the bed, 'maybe,'

'Well, that's not going to be good enough Comrade. You might just have to come up with a better proposal,'

He laughed as he sat himself on the bed, and positioned me between his legs, 'Cut a man some slack, I just came back from the dead,'

I laughed as I kissed him on his forehead, 'And that's why I'll forgive you, and give you another chance,'

'Aren't you benevolent?' he chuckled as he brought his lips to mine again. Geez, I can't think when his lips are doing forbidden things to me. His hands sneaked up my top and skirted around the top of my breasts. I felt my breath catch.

'This is inappropriate,' my voice came out hoarsely, aching for him to ravage me, 'It's a hospital,'

'Roza, since when has anything between us been appropriate,' Dimitri whispered urgently as he removed my top and lowered his mouth to my breasts. I let out a soft moan, and pushed against him. Suffice to say, we spent the rest of the afternoon making up for lost time.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Rose's Point of View**

_About one year later._

It was about a year after Dimitri's accident. We since found out through a note that Alex sent us, that Katrina was sent by him to break us up. Katrina was a Spirit user, and had been enticed by the idea of turning Strigoi because she couldn't handle the darkness that came with using Spirit. She was also incredibly in love with Dimitri – which I don't blame her for (have you seen him?). Dimitri said that they had dated for a few months in high school, when he decided to break it up because she was jealous of everyone Dimitri talked to and hung out with. 'Psycho,' were the words he used. It's exactly what I was thinking of. Alex had struck a deal with Katrina, promising to turn her Strigoi if she managed to bring Dimitri down with her as well. This deal proved to be more than attractive to her, and so she used her compulsion abilities on Dimitri that night. The bitch made me want to hunt down more Strigoi to kill! On the other hand, Dimitri was so incensed by what Alex did that it took everything in me to stop him from hunting him down. I couldn't have Dimitri hunting Alex down whilst I was pregnant – what if something happened to him? In a weird way, I could somewhat understand where Alex was coming from – it was low, disgusting and totally off limits to sell his best friend out like that, but when you're a Strigoi with a mission, I guess you don't think about consequences. Besides, Strigoi had no morals anyway.

Adrian was initially quite sheepish when he saw Dimitri and I together; but I told him to snap out of it. I knew he lied to us as he had my best intentions at heart. Dimitri and I decided that we would make him godfather of our child. We're still unclear as to how we managed to conceive a child; but neither of us were complaining. Dimitri was ecstatic that he was going to be a father, and whilst initially, I was a little hesistant about welcoming a new life to this world, I grew increasingly excited about having baby as my stomach grew.

We had to break the news to my parents and as we expected, my mum flipped out, whilst my dad congratulated us and looked forward to being a grandfather. My mum wouldn't speak to me for months, but when I went into labour, she and my dad flew over. She wasn't able to resist the baby girl she held in her arms, and so begrudgingly, decided to forgive us. Dimitri's family were more welcoming, his mum bustled and fussed around me in the weeks leading up to the birth, and I thoroughly enjoyed his sisters' company, especially Viktoria's. She wanted to move to Australia too, but I wasn't sure that Dimitri would let her, especially after he saw Adrian eye her up.

We named her Anya, short for Anastasia. Dimitri said that it was the name of a Russian princess, and that was what Anya was to him – his princess. 'What about me?' I had pouted childishly, trying to goad something out of him. He had merely laughed and after kissing me passionately, said, as cornily as possible – only because he knew it would annoy me, 'You'll always be my Queen,'

'Who died and made you King of anything?' I shot back at him and he laughed loudly, 'You never fail to disappoint, Roza,'

Lissa and Christian had their baby boy a few months before Anya arrived. They named him Ethan, and when Lissa saw Anya, she proclaimed that she was already seeing an Ozera bride in her! Talk about being impatient! Lissa and Christian decided to move into a bigger place to house all of us; to give us more privacy, Lissa gave us the bedrooms upstairs, whilst she, Christian and Ethan took the bedrooms downstairs. It was a massive mansion that they bought, and I don't even want to think about how much money they spent on it! Dimitri and I had insisted on paying for our share, but Lissa and Christian downright refused, saying that for laying our lives down for them constantly, it was the least they could do. I didn't have a problem with it, but I think Dimitri's ego might have been bruised a little. He always said that he would at least put a roof over my head. Men's egos are strange like that. So Lissa made a deal with him – she said that for buying the house, a fair trade would be if Dimitri paid for a swimming pool to be built in the enormous backyard that we have. On top of that, Dimitri insisted on paying for Ethan's schooling for the rest of his life.

'What's that got to do with anything?' Lissa exclaimed.

'Swimming pool and Ethan's education,' Dimitri had stood his ground, his pride taking over.

Lissa had stared at him disbelievingly. Turning to me, she pleaded, 'Can't you talk reason into him?' I merely shrugged. This meant a lot to Dimitri. Frustrated, Lissa finally gave in and a truce was called.

…

'Remember to dress up, I've booked out a nice restaurant!' Lissa yelled out as I headed off towards our home. I had just finished my shift for today and Lissa had wanted to stay behind at St. Basile's for a few things. She and Christian had applied for a job within St. Basile's teaching Spirit and offensive magic, under the supervision of Macca, which made Dimitri and my job a lot easier, as they were safe behind the school's wards and there were more Guardians around. Dimitri was offered the position as Head Guardian at St. Basile's, and he would start teaching up and coming Guardians soon. Whilst I initially considered a position as a teacher, I had to decline it, because Anya would require a lot of time and effort on my part and guarding Lissa was a full time job in itself. That said, it would definitely be something I would consider when Anya started going to school.

It was my birthday today and I still had to drag myself over to St. Basile's earlier this morning to guard Lissa. 'I can't believe I'm working on my birthday!' I had grumbled to Dimitri that morning. He laughed that deep melodious laugh of his and said, 'you have tonight to look forward to,' Lissa had already planned a party for me but he seemed to imply something more. I didn't want to pursue it further, knowing he wanted to keep it a surprise for later.

'Oh and I've already arranged babysitters for Anya and Ethan; they're with the babysitters now,' Lissa's voice brought me back to the present.

'Great, thanks!' I said, 'I'll see you soon!'

Dimitri was already at home when I reached. 'Happy birthday Roza,' he said as I came through the door. He picked me up easily in his arms and swung me around, kissing me affectionately, 'Anya's with the babysitters,'

'I know, Lissa told me,' I giggled, my lips imploring his hungrily, 'and thanks,'

'Mm, you have to stop doing that,' he said, breaking away from my kisses, 'otherwise, we'll be late for dinner and Lissa will never forgive me,'

I laughed. His arms were still around me and my legs were wrapped around his waist. 'But it's my birthday,' I said sulkily, wanting to lose myself further in his kisses.

'Nope, specific instructions from the Princess,' he said, releasing me gently from his grip and putting me back on the floor. I knew it was taking all his self control to let me go. He looked at me hungrily, 'You have no idea how hard this is,'

I smiled sexily at him, 'then stop denying yourself,'

Dimitri let out a low growl and I was back in his arms, kissing him furiously. I sizzled under his touch and just as he was about to rip my shirt off me, my phone rang. 'Damn,' my breathing was heavy with desire. It was Lissa. I rolled my eyes and put her on loud speaker.

'Don't be late!' Lissa's sing song voice came through. Dimitri chuckled lowly and I let out a frustrated groan.

'Rose, stop having sex with Dimitri! You have an hour to get ready and get your ass here!' she demanded.

'Yes, mum!' I muttered. After giving me a kiss on my forehead, Dimitri peeled himself off me.

'I tried to tell her Lissa,' he called out to her, 'But there's no stopping her, you know how stubborn she is,'

'Oh blame it all on me!' I cried indignantly. He laughed and kissed me again, 'You know I love you,'

I made a face at him.

'Guys, save the sweet talk for later; you're going to be late. 58 minutes Rose!' Lissa said before hanging up.

Dimitri wore an amused expression on his face. 'You're going to pay later,' I teased, standing on tip toes to run my tongue across his lips. 'As much as you want,' his eyes twinkled lustily.

It was a wonder we even got to dinner on time, considering the growing sexual tension between Dimitri and I. Lissa had booked out a classy Italian restaurant for dinner and invited all the gang – Christian, Eddie, Mia, Adrian, Ayeshah, Alberta, David – and even my parents flew in for the night. 'Did you think we were going to miss your 21st?' my dad said when I saw him sitting at the table. I threw my arms around him excitedly. As we were getting seated around the table, Dimitri and my dad left to the bar to get some drinks. I looked over at them, and saw Dimitri say something to my dad to make him laugh. I smiled contently. I loved the fact that my dad got along with Dimitri, even if my mum was a sourpuss around him. She still brooded over the fact that he's too old for me, and that we've had a child without getting married. Seriously, I didn't really care. Dimitri and I were living as though we were married anyway.

A band played mellow tunes in the background whilst we ate and chatted. It was nice to see my mum relax a little after a few glasses of wine; she always looked too stern and unmoving. It wasn't a wonder that Anya took to my dad more than my mum; she was going to grow up being not only Daddy's Girl but also Granddad's Girl. I smiled at the thought. 'What are you smiling at?' Dimitri asked.

I shook my head, 'Anya,'

He smiled at me and squeezed my hand under the table.

'Rose,' Lissa interrupted my thoughts, 'since it's your birthday, will you grace us with a song?'

My dad beamed at me proudly and nodded. 'What kind of logic is that?' I protested, 'my birthday, someone else should sing,'

'Come on,' Lissa begged, 'We all know how you love to sing,'

'Hey, it's not fair to use compulsion on me,' I pouted, 'not on my birthday,'

'I wasn't!' Lissa defended, 'but don't make me,'

I laughed. 'Come on Rose, we all know how you love to be the center of attention,' Christian teased, grinning at me.

'Don't make me punch you, Sparky,' I retorted, much to my mum's horror.

'See the kind of domestic abuse I'm subjected to?' Christian complained to my mum.

'Oh stop being a girl,' I taunted and he wore a look of fake horror. I sensed that my mum was about to say something so I said, 'Relax, mum. He's only joking, take a chill pill,' What happened to lightening up? My dad roared with laughter but quickly shut up when he saw the look on my mum's face.

Lissa dragged me to the stage and requested that the band let me sing a song. Adrian led the cheer squad on my table and the other patrons in the restaurant turned to look. This was highly embarrassing. 'You're going to pay for this,' I hissed angrily at Lissa.

Lissa grinned back at me, 'I love hearing you sing,' she flashed me her brightest smile. How could I refuse her?

'Alright, but only because I love you,' I said dramatically. She laughed and rolled her eyes, 'Of course,'

I picked up the microphone on the stage and looked out towards my table. Lissa had snuggled back into Christian's arms; Dimitri was looking at me intently, love and pride shining through his eyes. Our eyes met, and I felt myself drowning in them. _I love you_, he mouthed to me and I smiled happily at him. Eddie had his arms around Mia, who was looking lovingly at him. I could sense a wedding coming up soon. My mum had settled into my dad's arms, as they proudly looked on, anticipating my song. Adrian whispered something into Ayeshah's ear and she giggled. Maybe something would happen between them after all. Peter and David were checking out some Moroi girl on the other table. A rush of happiness filled me – this was my family; and I loved them with all my heart. Only Anya and Ethan were missing, but maybe next year, they'll join us.

I looked down at the microphone and started to sing. I had picked out Taylor Swift's song because I heard it a few months ago, and decided that the lyrics were perfect for Dimitri and I.

_Friday night beneath the stars  
In a field behind your yard  
You and I are painting pictures in the sky_

_And sometimes we don't say a thing  
Just listen to the crickets sing  
Everything I need is right here by my side_

_And I know everything about you  
I don't wanna live without you_

_I'm only up when you're not down  
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground  
It's like no matter what I do_

_Well, you drive me crazy half the time  
The other half I'm only trying  
To let you know that what I feel is true  
And I'm only me when I'm with you_

_Just a small town boy and girl  
Living in the crazy world  
Trying to figure out what is and isn't true_

_And I don't try to hide my tears  
The secrets, all my deepest fears  
Through it all nobody gets me like you do_

_And you know everything about me  
You say that you can't live without me_

_I'm only up when you're not down  
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground  
It's like no matter what I do_

_Well you drive me crazy half the time  
The other half I'm only trying  
To let you know that what I feel is true  
And I'm only me when I'm with you_

_When I'm with anybody else  
It's so hard to be myself  
And only you can tell_

_That I'm only up when you're not down  
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground  
It's like no matter what I do_

_Well, you drive me crazy half the time  
The other half I'm only trying  
To let you know that what I feel is true_

_And I'm only me  
Who I wanna be  
Well, I'm only me when I'm with you  
With you, oh yeah…_

As I finished singing the last word, I looked up to see Dimitri get out of his chair and walk towards me. I smiled brilliantly at him, my heart brimming over with love. The restaurant fell deadly quiet, as if everyone were holding their breaths. Their eyes were on my handsome warrior as he strode towards me. He looked serious. _Didn't he like my song?_ I put the microphone down as he lifted himself easily onto the stage.

'I can't live without you,' Dimitri said, repeating the lyrics. I grinned and was about to say, _write your own lines_, when he said, 'I know you're going to say something smart,'

I heard a few chuckles around the room and blushed. 'It's one of the many things I love about you,' he continued, staring deeply into my eyes – God I love his eyes, 'I wish I could guarantee you a life of happiness, guarantee that everything will go to plan. I would love to make you smile every day, to hear you laugh, see you sing. But I know we're going to fight and I know we're going to make our mistakes, me more than you,' he smiled and there were more chuckles around the room. I smirked at him as he continued, 'There may be days when I forget to tell you how beautiful you are to me, and other days when I forget to tell you how much you mean to me. I wish I could make it perfect for you, but I know that the going will get tough at times. But no matter what, I want you to know that I'm always here for you, that I'll try my best not to mess up, that every day I wake up with you by my side is a good day to me, that I'll lay my life down to keep you and Anya safe. Roza, I don't have all the riches in the world but I feel like the richest, luckiest man in the world when I'm lying next to you,'

I started to tear up, not knowing where this was going but enjoying his public declaration of love nonetheless, especially since he was such a private person. My eyes opened wide with surprise as Dimitri dropped down to his knees, pulled out a beautiful diamond ring and looked at me lovingly, 'Will you marry me, Roza?'

My hands flew to my mouth. I heard my mum gasp in the distance and I imagined my dad clamping his hand over her mouth to stop her from ruining the moment. I heard Lissa suppress her squeal of delight. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. Was it possible to love this man anymore than I already do? Was this really happening to me? I must have been silent for a few minutes because I saw a flash of doubt cross his handsome face as he repeated, 'Will you mar-…'

'Yes!' I half-shouted, half-laughed. As if there would be any other answer to it, 'A thousand times, yes!'

He looked ecstatic as he slid the ring onto my finger, scooped me up in his arms and kissed me passionately. The restaurant erupted in cheers. 'Thank you,' he whispered fiercely into my kisses. I felt tears sting my eyes. He wiped them away gently. 'Why are you crying?' he asked, concerned.

'Because I'm so happy,' and he crushed his lips against mine once more as the band started playing behind us. I couldn't stop grinning as we made our way back to the table.

'Is this a little better than my proposal at the hospital?' Dimitri smiled cheekily at me.

I threw my head back in laughter as I remembered his proposal over a year ago – _maybe we should get married_ – 'Oh, maybe!' I joked as I kissed him again.

Lissa gave me a tight squeeze when we got back to our table. Her excitement bubbled through me. 'I was starting to wonder when you'd ask!' Lissa complained to Dimitri. He blushed and I laughed at him, pulling him in for another kiss.

'Get a room, Hathaway,' Christian called out. I ignored him; I was too happy to care. I was painfully aware of my mother's thunderous looks. And I guess, so was Dimitri because he soon said, 'Guardian Hathaway, Abe, I'm sorry, I've been trying to contact you all week, I would've liked to get your blessings first but… you two must be incredibly busy because I could never get through,' so that's what all his secretive phone calls must be about.

'Never heard of voicemail?' she snapped. Wow, my mum's scary. Dimitri didn't even flinch, 'It was something I preferred to do in person,'

'He asked me just before,' my father jumped in, quietly. My mum ignored him. Typically.

'How many men do you have on the go? Weren't you with Adrian for a while?' my mum turned her anger on me. Dimitri started to jump to my defense but he was cut off by Adrian, 'Janine, can I call you that? Oh come on, we're all one big family now, there's no need for formalities,' he grinned at my mum who looked like she was going to break his neck. Adrian gave my parents a quick summary of everything that happened, and the initial confusion surrounding Anya's parentage. My mum's expression changed from thunderous to murderous to completely homicidal very quickly. 'So it's kind of my fault, really,' Adrian ended gallantly.

'Ivashkov, it's mine,' Dimitri offered.

'Ivashkov,' Adrian rolled his eyes, 'Dimitri, its Adrian. What did I say before? One big family now,'

Dimitri wore a funny expression on his face, like he couldn't decide whether it was a good or bad thing that Adrian now considers him 'family', 'It's still my fault – everything that happened,'

'Alright, will you two stop arguing whose fault it is? Does it really matter now?' my mum shouted angrily. Looking at me she said accusingly, 'How could you keep this from me?'

'I didn't know if… You'd be okay with it,' I stammered guiltily, staring at my plate. I pushed my food around the plate to distract myself, 'Besides, you wouldn't take to me for months before Anya was born,'

'Look at me when I'm talking to you,' my mum snapped. My dad was rubbing her back, trying to calm her down. I looked at him pleadingly and he shrugged helplessly at me.

'Dhampir relationships are always forbidden and I didn't know if you would approve,' I defended.

There was an interesting play of emotions on her face as she struggled to find the words she wanted to say. Everyone around the table was silent and staring at her, waiting to see her response. 'Have you so little faith in me?' she finally said, her eyes softening, 'since when did you do anything that everyone approved of anyway? As long as you're happy, I would have approved of anything,'

I scraped my chair back, ran to my mum and flung myself in her arms. 'Anything, Rose,' her voice quivered with emotion. 'Thank you,' I beamed at her. This was turning out to be the best birthday ever. 'God help Dimitri,' she teased, 'between you and Anya, he's going to have a lot on his hands,'

Our table erupted in laughter. 'Hell, give me Strigoi any day,' my mum continued, her eyes laughing at me. Christian and Adrian hooted with laughter. Dimitri put his arm around me as I returned to my seat. I decided to let her have her fun with me. 'Strigoi aren't so beautiful,' Dimitri said, looking at me intensely. He looked so irresistible and I blushed furiously.

'So that's where Rose gets her smart comments from,' Christian laughed, interrupting the moment. He was wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

'Hathaway vs. Hathaway,' Adrian shouted, thumping a drum roll on the table and Eddie whooped. I shook my head at them, 'Juvenile,' and Ayeshah heartily agreed with me. Looking at her, Adrian faked a broken heart, 'I thought you were on my side!'

My dad raised his hands to silence everyone. Looking at Dimitri, he said, 'You and I need to talk, later,'

Dimitri nodded solemnly and I looked at my dad quizzically. What did they need to talk about? I hope my dad wasn't going to give Dimitri too rough a time. 'Don't worry,' Dimitri said, smiling at me. He squeezed my hand in reassurance.

'I'm sure, nothing he can't handle, kiz,' my dad said to me and I gave him a look that said, _don't meddle_.

'But Rose, now you need to seriously consider how suitable it is for you to continue being Lissa's Guardian,' my mum said solemnly. She was right. It wasn't like I haven't thought about it, especially ever since Anya was born. 'Guardians tend to have flings, short affairs… Rarely do they get married or even have children,' she continued.

'Well, nothing I can do about Anya now can I?' I said defensively. Dimitri squeezed my hand, trying to calm me. What the hell was my mum trying to say?

'It runs in the family, my love,' my dad said, trying to dissipate the tension between us, 'you Hathaway women tend to go for the most dangerous, most unsuitable men,'

He grinned at me and I couldn't help but crack a smile. My mum looked murderously at him. 'But they make the greatest love stories,' he said softly. I gagged at them; I wasn't used to seeing my parents so affectionate with each other. Dimitri let out a low laugh as Lissa stared unbelievingly at my dad.

'Stop it,' my mum said; smacking my dad playfully, 'I'm trying to be serious here okay? This is our daughter's future,'

'Mum,' I said determinedly, 'I'll make it work. We work at St. Basile's; we can always leave Anya at the day care when we work. Besides, Lissa's got Ethan. It's not like she's going to be doing some extensive travelling any time soon,'

'We'll make it work,' Dimitri corrected and I grinned at him appreciatively. I saw my mum struggle to suppress a smile. I knew she had a deep respect for Dimitri and I was hoping we could count on that to gain her approval.

'Be good to her,' was all my mum said but her soft smile said much more. Dimitri seemed to understand what she was saying and gave her a small smile and a nod. I felt on top of the world as everyone congratulated Dimitri and I. I was so happy that I ordered extra food – nothing boosts an appetite like a wedding proposal.

It was when dessert was being served up that Ian, one of Lissa's Guardians that night, rushed to our table urgently. 'Princess…' he started.

'What is it?' Lissa said impatiently, 'I know it's late, but Rose just got engaged and we're celebrating,'

'No Princess…' he looked nervously around the table, 'Anya and Ethan are gone,'

**Uh-oh! BUT, this won't be much of a cliffhanger, because you'll get to read the next chapter immediately. :)  
**

**Before we proceed, I need to inform of two additional disclaimers for this chapter (obviously, the usual ones for Richelle Mead applies) - Taylor Swift for her song 'I'm Only Me When I'm With You' and Australia's very own Guy Sebastian for his song 'Art of Love' which was the inspiration behind Dimitri's proposal. What did you think of it? :)**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Rose's Point of View**

Everything went by in a blur for me after that. Dimitri had leaped out of his seat, grabbed poor Ian by his collar and demanded to know what happened. The Guardians were patrolling the area when they noticed some unusual activity at the nursery next to St. Basile's. When they investigated, the babysitters were already dead and the babies already gone. They inspected the wards, only to find out that they were broken by humans. They had arrested the humans, but the Strigois were nowhere in sight. My parents were quickly beside Dimitri as I felt my head spin. Lissa was beside herself as she clung onto me. This couldn't be happening, I repeated over and over again to myself. Anya is safe, I told myself desperately, it's just a mistake.

We rushed back to the nursery after Lissa hastily paid for dinner. Her hands were trembling so badly that her signature barely resembled that on her credit card. When we reached the nursery, we saw broken glass, torn curtains and the bloodied remains of the babysitters. Lissa was screaming and I was struggling to keep her emotions from flooding me and dragging me under. Ayeshah and Mia tried to keep her under control while I was at wits end. There was a savage look in Dimitri's eyes. I knew he was struggling as much as I was to stay in control. Someone had to take charge. My mum was trembling – possibly from anger, fear, I don't know, maybe a bit of both.

Dimitri picked up a note that was stuck inconspicuously near the cot. The Guardians must have missed it. I rushed to Dimitri's side and we read it together in horror.

_D. Congratulations on being a father. I still don't understand the whole Shadow Kissed concept but it doesn't matter now. Sasha loved your proposal. I didn't think you could be so romantic. It's about time. We have her, in case you're wondering. We decided to take the boy too. He has the blood of the Ozeras and the Dragomirs. I'm sure he'll grow up to be powerful. And Anya, she's special, I know it already. I'll be waiting by the Botanical Gardens for you. Come with your Roza – we can be one big happy family again. Sash and I can't wait, Alex._

Dimitri crumpled the note in his fists as he punched the cot, 'Shit!' It broke and I silently marveled at his strength. 'We have to go, now,' he said urgently, pulling me along.

'Where are you going?' my mum demanded.

'The Botanical Gardens, that's where they are,' Dimitri yelled back as we sprinted towards our destination. My heart pounded wildly with fear. I hoped Anya and Ethan were safe, I hoped Alex hadn't turned them yet. I felt tears well up within me but I battled to keep them down. I couldn't cry. This wasn't a time for weakness; I had to save my baby, our baby. I heard my mum run alongside me, yelling out for us to explain.

'Mum, we'll explain later, we need to get there fast,' I yelled at her. I heard Lissa, Christian and Adrian behind us. Eddie and my dad must have stayed back to make sure that Ayeshah and Mia got back to their rooms safely. They were clearly shaken; it's not easy seeing dead bodies. I knew this was too dangerous for Lissa.

'Lissa, you need to get back, we'll get Ethan back for you,' I yelled back at her. I felt a tidal wave hit me as I experienced the full force of Lissa's anger. 'This is my son you're talking about, I am coming with you!' she screamed back at me. I wasn't about to waste more energy on arguing with her so I continued to sprint towards the Botanical Gardens.

Dimitri and I halted as we neared the edge of it. I felt a vague sense of nausea. I knew they were close and I whispered this to Dimitri. He nodded silently, his hands already gripping his silver stake. I flipped mine out, gripping it tightly. My senses were on high alert as Dimitri, my mum and I scouted around for them. Suddenly, I felt myself gag. Nausea engulfed me just as piercing laughter rang through the gardens.

Dimitri and I turned around quickly to see Alex striding towards us. He had Anya in his arms. I started out towards her but Dimitri held me back, 'Careful,' he whispered.

'I knew you would come,' Alex taunted, his red eyes flashing at us, 'And Rose. You grow more beautiful every day,'

'You're making me jealous,' another voice rang out, jokingly. It was female and it sounded like it was laughing. I saw her stride out of the darkness. She had long blonde hair that reached to her lower back. She was tall – almost as tall as Alex and Dimitri – and beautiful. She looked like she could've been a Russian princess. She had high cheekbones, almost like royalty and beautiful deep blue eyes. This must be Sasha. 'Sash, you know I only have eyes for you,' Alex grinned, his eyes not leaving the both of us. Sasha held Ethan in her arms. I found it amazing that Anya and Ethan were silent, despite being so close to Strigoi. Did they know how close they were to death? Or worse?

'One big happy family,' Alex grinned menacingly at Anya as he lifted her up so she faced him. She looked at him and he laughed maniacally. I saw his fangs flash in the moonlight. I was frantic with fear. I wasn't sure how long I could keep up this self control. I wanted to break some necks, stab some hearts, rescue my daughter… I had to do something. All this chit chat was not getting me any closer to my daughter.

Then, Anya kicked his nose and Alex growled angrily, 'This one has a temper, D,'

_That's my girl_, I thought to myself as my head swirled with ways to rescue her. I knew that the only reason why Dimitri was holding back was because we might hurt Anya or Ethan in the process. Dimitri's fists were balled up; I could almost see the whites of his knuckles. My mum was tapping her foot impatiently, not entirely understanding what Alex was saying, or why we were hesitating. Then, to my horror, Alex started to bring his fangs closer to Anya's neck. She let out a small whimper, as if sensing how close she was to becoming undead.

'No,' Dimitri shouted vehemently. Alex looked up, amused, still too close to Anya's neck for my liking, but at least his fangs were drawn back, 'Not her… Not yet,'

Alex looked amused as he looked at Sasha. She smiled serenely back at him. Her pale skin glowed eerily under the moonlight. She truly looked like a Princess. 'Perhaps you'd like to go first, D,' Alex turned back to Dimitri and grinned.

'I will,' Dimitri answered with steel in his voice. I gasped loudly, 'No,' as I gripped onto his arm.

He pushed my hands away fiercely as he strode towards Alex. Alex grinned ecstatically. This couldn't be happening, I told myself as I struggled with the urge to scream. I could hear my mum grinding her teeth beside me. What was his plan? What was he trying to do? I hated not being kept in the loop.

'Wait!' a voice called out behind us. It was Lissa; she had caught up with us. What was she doing here? Alex looked annoyed at this intrusion.

'Morois, D?' Alex rose an eyebrow at him. He did it almost as well as Dimitri did. 'If these are your reinforcements, well… I think it's my lucky day,' I felt my heart sink; we should've brought more Guardians. We had friends from St. Basile's, Guardians at our disposure, we could've easily enlisted the help of Alberta, Ian, David… but in our haste, we failed to plan things out meticulously. And what was Lissa doing here? My head throbbed painfully as I considered the possibility of losing a loved one. Dimitri, Anya, Lissa… I truly felt sick.

Dimitri remained silent as he stared at Alex murderously. 'Why the sour face?' Alex taunted, 'We're going to be one big happy family again,'

Dimitri opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by Lissa, 'I'll go first,'

WHAT? I almost yelled as she strode up towards Alex. Why wasn't Christian holding her back? I reached out to grab her but she swiftly dodged my grip. I couldn't even tap into the bond to find out what she was thinking of doing. I was paralyzed with fear as I saw her bravely approach Alex. _Dimitri, please do something_, I silently begged.

'And who are you?' Alex sneered.

'Lissa. Vasilissa Dragomir,' she replied proudly. Alex's eyes opened wide with hunger, 'the Dragomir Princess,'

'That's right,' Lissa said bravely, looking deep into his eyes. _Oh shit_, I thought. I knew exactly what she was trying to do. _Fuck, fuck, fuck. Was she insane?_ I inched slowly towards her, instinctively trying to make sure that I was close enough to defend her if anything untoward happened.

I felt a tingle pass through me and knew she had already started, 'Give Anya to me,'

She was dangerously close to him. One move and he could snap her neck. Alex hesitated. He must've known she was using compulsion on him. I stopped breathing as she bent her head to one side, exposing her neck to him, all the while not breaking eye contact with him. 'Give Anya to me, before you turn me. She's like a daughter to me, I want to feel her one last time,' she tried to sound convincing. She must be aware of Sasha who was looking on. I knew Lissa didn't want to raise suspicions.

Alex's eyes flashed hungrily. If we ever got out of this alive, I made sure I was going to kill Lissa for being so stupid. Slowly, he handed Anya over to Lissa and once Anya was safely in Lissa's arms, Alex grabbed for her neck. I heard her scream in fright, followed by the sound of crunching. Dimitri had punched Alex in the face, just before Alex had managed to sink his fangs into Lissa. There was a roar of pain as Alex stumbled back.

I shoved Lissa back quickly, ordering Christian to get her as I lunged for Sasha. She was screaming at Alex and Ethan had started to wail. My mum took Sasha's momentary lapse in concentration to trip her over, sending Ethan flying into the air. I used a nearby tree to launch myself into the air as I reached out for Ethan. I barely caught him in my arms as I rolled onto the ground, shielding him from the impact. There was a sickening crunch and I knew that I had broken my arm. Adrian quickly took him off me as I scrambled painfully to my feet. Suddenly, I felt a warm overwhelming feeling of joy spread through me and the pain I experienced before left me. I looked at Lissa, and saw that her eyes were closed. I knew she was healing me and I silently thanked her for it. I turned around to see Dimitri locked in that familiar dance with Alex and my mum was throwing punches at Sasha.

I smiled to myself. _Let's see how well Strigoi can handle two Hathaways_, I thought, as I lunged towards Sasha. My mum and I fought in sync with each other; seriously, we should do this more often. We make an awesome team. When she kicked, I would punch; and when I punched, she would kick. I could see the fear in Sasha's eyes increase as we battled on. She was fast and strong, as she had just fed – presumably from the babysitters – but my mum and I weren't famous for nothing. My mum hooked Sasha behind her legs and as she fell, I sent a flying kick to her face, breaking her beautiful nose. She screamed in terror as she fell to the ground. My mum held her down with a death grip as I drove my stake into her heart. She let out a final blood curdling scream, before she shuddered, her life sucked out of her. I heard a thunderous roar behind me as Alex realized that Sasha was dead.

He managed to escape Dimitri's grasps as he rushed towards me, his eyes screaming bloody murder. He was fast, much faster than Sasha; he had just fed off the babysitters too but being a male Dhampir previously obviously gave him an edge, especially if he used to be as good as Dimitri. He caught me off balance as I was still crouching over Sasha's body. I felt his claws rip through my arm as I rolled away from him. I screamed in pain, 'You're going to pay for this you son of a bitch!'

'You killed her, you bitch!' he screamed at me, lunging for me once more. I barely managed to roll away from him again. He growled menacingly at me before diving at me again. This time, I didn't escape his clutches. I felt him grab me by my leg and pulled me towards him as I clawed against the ground, struggling to find something to hold on to. He lifted me up easily in the air and threw me against a tree. I heard another sickening crunch as I slid down the tree. Great, another broken bone. This time it was my leg.

'That's my daughter you ass hole!' I heard my mum scream, as I struggled against the concussion that was threatening to overwhelm me. My mum and Alex circled each other, growling at each other like wolves. Alex lunged at her and delivered a well placed punch to her arm. She screamed in pain as she managed to compose herself to kick him in the groin. He barely flinched and she looked at him quizzically. There weren't many Strigoi who didn't hurt under her attacks. He laughed coldly, 'you're gonna have to try harder than that, old lady,'

My mum's eyes flashed angrily. Nobody calls her an old lady. She lunged at him but he managed to quickly side step her and delivered a roundhouse kick to her head. I saw her head snap dangerously to the side as she fell to the ground. 'Mum!' I screamed, scrambling towards her. My left leg was bent at an odd angle. It must've been broken, but I was too stricken with panic to register the pain. She was unconscious and blood was gushing from her head. Alex laughed loudly but was cut short when Dimitri tackled him to the ground. Alex snarled in frustration as he easily threw Dimitri off him. I struggled to drag my mum away from Alex and Dimitri, as I felt the distant throbbing in my left leg. Christian and Adrian ran to help me drag my mum away and that was when I turned around to see Dimitri trip over a tree root and slip.

I saw the horror in his eyes as he fell to the ground with a thump. I felt like I was watching a horror movie in slow motion. Alex then delivered a strong punch to Dimitri's head and I saw his eyes roll back. I screamed for him as I rushed towards him, dragging my broken leg behind me. Dimitri never fell, Dimitri was always so strong. I pleaded silently, frantically, to whoever was listening for Dimitri to get up, to fight back.

'Time for you to join me,' Alex growled triumphantly as he lowered his fangs to Dimitri's neck.

'Not yet!' I screamed angrily, as I used all the energy I had to deliver a well placed kick to Alex's head. To this day, I am unsure how I managed it, given my broken leg. He let out an angry yell as he stumbled backwards. 'Christian!' I yelled, 'Now!'

Christian understood what I meant and soon, his fiery dragons surrounded Alex's face. He tried to bat them away, only to burn his hands every time they came in touch with the dragons. Christian willed them to burn his face, and Alex let out a blood curdling scream as he stumbled to the ground. I knew this was my cue; Christian wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.

'Not your lucky day anymore,' I said triumphantly as I flipped out my stake and drove it into his heart. Another blood curdling scream later, Alex shuddered into the ground as I staked him once more to make sure. I stared at his bloodied body and his slightly scorched face. He wore a peaceful expression. He would've been handsome once, would've been someone who easily broken women's hearts, someone who laughed often, I realized sadly.

'Roza…' I heard a guttural voice behind me. I turned to see Dimitri rousing from his concussion. I rushed to his side to help him stand up. His beautiful eyes stared back at me lovingly as he draped an arm around me. I tried to support his weight, but my broken leg decided to give in and I fell towards the ground. He held me up with his strong arms as we stared intensely at each other. I tried to ignore the pain that was coursing through me.

'Lissa once said… Even Guardians need Guardian Angels,' I blinked once, twice, trying to keep my eyes open, trying not to slip into the darkness that was threatening to engulf me. My hero – he looked devastatingly handsome, even after a battle, especially after a battle. There was a deep cut at the side of his head that was bleeding profusely.

'You _are_ my Guardian Angel,' he said softly, brushing his thumb on my cheek. There was regret and pain in his eyes.

'How can I be yours when you're mine?'

'We'll figure out the logistics later,' he said, as he picked up me easily and carried me to the infirmary.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Rose's Point of View**

I woke up to find myself lying in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of my arms. I heard a soft giggle in the room and I turned my head towards it. It was Anya; she was rubbing her chubby little hands against Dimitri's face and seemed to be enjoying it. She must like the feel of his rough stubble against her soft skin. I let out a small laugh and that caught Dimitri's attention. His head was bandaged, and he had a few cuts on his arm, but otherwise, he looked well. Well, alive and still the best looking guy on Earth.

'Roza,' he immediately moved towards my bed, 'you're awake,' Anya stared at me with her big brown eyes. I liked to think that she was wondering why I'm hooked up to all these tubes. She quickly got bored of me as she let out a small yawn and curled into Dimitri's arms, promptly falling asleep. She was so much like me in that department. Dimitri looked down at her and smiled, 'exactly like you, Rose,'

I laughed, 'Why am I always the one in a hospital bed? I wasn't the one who nearly got taken down by Strigoi!'

Dimitri shrugged, 'I've just got better genetics,' his eyes flashed teasingly.

'Hey, don't forget who saved your ass,' I retorted, sitting myself up in the bed.

Dimitri laughed and his eyes softened, 'How could I ever forget? Thank you, you shouldn't have. What if something happened to the two of us? What would happen to Anya?'

'A plain thank you would've been nice enough,' I sulked, not appreciating the lecture. He reached out to tilt my chin up so I was staring into his eyes. He leaned in and as his lips touched mine, he whispered, 'Thank you, Roza,' and I sighed happily into his kisses, drinking him in passionately as I realized how close I was to losing him.

There was a loud knock on the door and Dimitri and I broke away from each other. It was Dr. Volkov with Lissa and Christian behind her. Lissa pushed her aside when she saw that I was awake. Dr. Volkov wore a disgruntled look but chose to let it slide as Lissa rushed towards me.

'I'm so glad you're okay!' she whispered fiercely, hugging me tightly. She was aware of the sleeping bundle in Dimitri's arms.

'Lissa,' I said sternly, 'You are _never_ to do what you did again, ever! One move and he would've killed you. Do you know how stupid that was?' A chill went up my spine as I pictured Lissa's exposed neck, inviting Alex to drink from her. 'Christian, how could you?' I looked at him accusingly.

'A simple thank you would do,' Lissa said sulkily, replicating what I had previously said to Dimitri. Dimitri chuckled despite himself and I couldn't help but smile.

'But seriously Lissa,' Dimitri said soberly. I could count on him to dish out life lessons. 'We're trained to fight Strigoi, trained to anticipate their every move; as much as Rose and I are grateful for what you did, especially for us, for Anya, you were very lucky that Alex didn't make a sudden move,'

Christian squeezed Lissa's shoulders, 'Don't underestimate her, you don't know how much she's been training,'

I stared agape at Christian. Did he not understand how dangerous it was for Lissa? 'Don't look at him like that Rose,' Lissa said quietly, 'I promised you before remember? That I would fight alongside you,'

'But…' I started.

'No buts Rose. Adrian can heal as well as I can now. Last night, somehow, I figured out how to heal from a distance,' I remembered how she had taken care of my broken arm as I handed Ethan over to Adrian. She hadn't touched me, I realized. 'I don't know how it happened; I guess when the need arose, I just managed to do it. Somehow… I have a feeling that Adrian and I are only just beginning to brush the surface of how much Spirit can do,' she said quietly, looking down at her hands.

She looked up at me again. Excitement shone through her eyes and through our bond, 'I've read stories Rose. Stories about other Spirit users who can walk into a room of Strigoi and with a flick of their hand, kill them all. Isn't that amazing? I don't know how it works but imagine if I learned that,'

My eyes widened with amazement but a part of me was gripped in fear. This wasn't the Lissa I knew. Lissa could never kill anything. Much to my relief, she said forlornly, 'but I have a feeling that I'd never learn that. Adrian said that I don't have it in me, that you need a certain predisposed streak of violence to be able to kill, even if it's killing Strigoi,'

I felt myself let out a breath of relief, as if I had been holding my breath all this while. Dimitri looked at me worriedly, and I knew what he was thinking. What was the price of all this magic?

'Do you really think that this is a good idea Lissa? You have Ethan now; is all this magic going to be good?' I asked gently.

'You have Anya, Rose,' she looked at me accusingly, 'You fight, you continue to lay your life down for me, why won't you let me take responsibility for my own safety for once?'

'But all the darkness…'

'Is that what you're concerned about?' she was starting to get angry, 'that I'd transfer all the darkness onto you?' Dimitri tactfully removed himself from the situation and motioned for Christian to follow suit. Dr. Volkov stood in the corner, looking more and more disgruntled with our conversation. I could tell that she wanted to perform all the routine medical checks on me, but Lissa must have said something to her beforehand. I wouldn't be surprised if Lissa compelled her. But seeing how I was fine and arguing must have put Dr. Volkov at ease.

'Lissa,' I held her shoulders tightly and forced her to look into my eyes, 'I would do anything for you, you hear that? Anything. You're the sister I never had, the best friend I could ever wish for. I would willingly take the darkness away from you each and every time you performed your magic. But you're wearing yourself thin, Liss. Politics, magic and Ethan? When are you going to have time for yourself? For Christian?' _For me,_ I wanted to add, but decided that she had more important things to worry about.

'You really do underestimate me Rose,' Lissa said quietly. 'I owe so much to meditation,'

I scoffed at her, 'Meditation,'

'Don't knock it, Rose,' she said sternly, 'It used to take me an hour before I could slip my mind into that peaceful silence, but as I practice it more, I'm finding that it only takes half an hour these days. I just need to be in it for 15 minutes and I'm refreshed again,'

I looked at her skeptically.

'I know you're not convinced, but look. I used so much magic last night; between compelling Alex, healing you and then Janine,'

I gasped. I had completely forgotten about her, 'Mum's okay?'

'Yes she is,' Lissa smiled, 'Adrian and I had to use the last of our magic, but she's okay. I think Alex came close to breaking her neck,'

A cold shiver went down my spine. My mum and I had never enjoyed a close relationship, but over the years, I've learned to love her for her seriousness and no bullshit attitude towards her work. And yesterday only proved that she would easily give her life up for me. I felt an intense need to see her then but I had to finish this conversation with Lissa.

'The Princess was extremely weak but otherwise, she was fine. All it took was a few feeders to bring some colour back to her face, and she slipped into this meditation thing she's been talking about,' Dr. Volkov interrupted as she flashed her torchlight into my eyes. She must've decided that she was tired of waiting for us to finish our conversation. 'I think she meditated for about half an hour, because when I next came back to check on her, she was up and about, as good as new. It's really quite something, Guardian Hathaway. She came in this morning to heal your leg,' Dr. Volkov's admiration was evident, as she ticked off several boxes on her chart. I looked down at my left leg. I moved it tentatively and felt no pain, nor any stiffness of movement. It dawned on me that Lissa was tapping into some advanced magic.

Lissa beamed at me, 'I told you. It's amazing this meditation thing,'

'God, before you know it, you'll turn into a nun and run off to a convent,' I groaned, not letting my pride and admiration show. She was truly amazing.

Lissa laughed, 'Do you believe me now? I'll be fine! I'm even excited about this whole idea of practicing more magic, seeing what else is in store for me. Don't worry about time, I'll always find time for Christian and Ethan,' and then she looked at me softly, her eyes watering with tears, 'And I'll always have time for you, best friend time, girly time, we haven't had much of that in a while,'

I felt myself tear up, moved by what Lissa said. 'You really are an amazing, overachieving person,' I said in awe and wistfully added, 'I guess you won't be needing me soon,'

Lissa wore a funny expression on her face. 'I'll always need you,' she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, 'your job will just be easier,'

I leaned in to hug her. Dr. Volkov let out a sigh of disapproval, 'Stay still, Guardian Hathaway, just one more check,' I heard her mumble something about me being so fidgety and Lissa and I laughed. It felt good to be able to laugh with her again. I was given the all clear soon and the tubes were thankfully taken off me. Dr. Volkov left to let Christian and Dimitri back into the room.

Dimitri had placed Anya in a two-seater pram next to Ethan. They were both asleep and sucking on their thumbs. They looked cute together. I thought back to when Lissa had declared that the two of them should marry when they grew up and smiled.

'So did she convince you?' Christian asked smugly. I had to give it to him this time, 'Yeah, she did actually. And thank you, for sending the dragons,'

'Any day,' Christian said, looking proud of himself.

'I still think they come from video games,' I teased. I couldn't help myself. It was Christian.

He rolled his eyes at me, choosing to ignore my juvenile taunt, 'imagine the damage we could do to the Strigoi population if Morois and Dhampirs worked together,'

Dimitri looked seriously at Christian and said, 'I agree. But what you guys did was an obvious violation of the law. I can't thank you more for saving our lives, but I'm just worried about what will happen when the Queen finds out. No doubt there'll be an inquisition into this,'

It was as if someone had put a damper on the party. Dimitri was right, there would be an inquisition and I wondered how we were going to explain why they captured the babies. Lissa was obviously worried too; her brows were knitted into a knot. I rarely felt anything through our bond now, only whatever she wanted me to feel, she must have learned to control it too. Was there anything she can't do?

Dimitri sat on the bed beside me, his arms around my waist as we sat somberly, each lost in our own thoughts about the inevitable inquisition. I was looking at Anya when I saw her kick Ethan in her sleep. Ethan roused and screamed, jolting everyone out of their thoughts. As Lissa rushed to soothe him, Anya rolled on her side and stared at him with her big brown eyes. What she did next shocked everyone, because she took out her dummy and placed it in Ethan's mouth, which he immediately sucked on and fell back to sleep. Anya let out a small yawn and closed her eyes peacefully.

I laughed silently, not wanting to wake them further. I could tell that Dimitri was amused, and proud of his baby girl. 'Oh my God,' Christian hissed indignantly, 'your kid is turning into a domestic abuser already!'

'Predisposed streak of violence, as Lissa would put it,' I said proudly, 'she's going to be one badass Guardian,'

'I think we should rethink our plans of pairing them up,' Christian said to Lissa, faking worry.

'He has a lot more to worry about if he's thinking of getting with my daughter,' Dimitri said protectively.

I laughed, and squeezed his hand, 'She's only a baby,'

'Hey, they start young these days,' he said, faking concern as he squeezed my shoulders. Lissa, Christian and I laughed. I leaned in to kiss Dimitri quickly as my mum and dad piled into my room.

'Mum, you're okay,' I stood up to hug her. Christian decided that he would wheel the babies out, 'It's getting a little crowded in here,' he said.

My mum hugged me tightly, rubbing her hands against my back soothingly. I could tell by her silence that she was brooding over what had happened and she had a million questions to fire at Dimitri. 'We need to talk,' she said pointedly to Dimitri. He nodded curtly, as if he had expected this. I tried to catch his eye but he avoided looking at me. Lissa inched out of the room, but not before sending positive waves of encouragement to me. Once the door was shut, my mum whispered dangerously, 'What the fuck was last night all about?' Her tone was soft, but it sent chills up my spine. I wondered if that was how scary I sounded when I'm feeling murderous. I silently admired Dimitri for not flinching as he looked at my mum straight in the eye and explained the whole story about Alex and Sasha.

A part of me couldn't help but feel sad for Dimitri; it couldn't be easy for him to lose his best friend, his childhood companion. He's killed Strigoi before, some of them he'd known in the past, some of them were strangers to him, but after an attack, he always prayed for their souls, always reminded me about how they once were like us, how they had lives previously, had families, friends who loved them dearly. But of all the killings he'd experienced, I was sure this would take the worst toll on him. I heard his voice quaver slightly when he talked about growing up with Alex, but he quickly steadied it. I don't think I would've noticed if I wasn't paying so much attention to his emotions. I could see the sadness in his eyes, the sorrow and grief that he was struggling to hold inside of him, and I desperately wanted to touch him, to hold him, to do anything that would make him feel even the slightest bit better.

'And you want to marry my daughter?' my mum said sarcastically at the end of Dimitri's story, 'if this is the life you're going to subject her to, a life fraught with danger and psycho Strigoi hunting her down… you must be out of your mind,'

I was about to shout my protest when Dimitri let out a short bitter laugh. It was as if something broke in him, 'Maybe I am out of my mind. I've spent long nights wondering how I can be so selfish as to risk Rose's life, just because I can't live without her,' his eyes bore into my mum's seriously, 'I've come to the conclusion that sometimes, I am selfish. Sometimes, I want to be selfish. I need her, more than anything else in this world. A Guardian's life is a solitary one, one that can end any minute, any day. I'm sure you're aware of that yourself. We've been taught to deny ourselves from the very beginning, to selflessly risk our lives for our Moroi charges,' I saw my mum flinch slightly.

He pointed bitterly to his heavily tattooed neck, 'Each of them is a constant reminder of those I've killed, but more than that, each of them is a constant reminder of how close I've come to losing my life. Years ago, I would've willingly given up my life for any Moroi. I would've found it glorious, I would've even been proud to die on the battlefield, I've even dreamt of hunting them down. But now, I just fight to stay alive, to keep Rose safe, just so I can see her once more. So you've got to be seriously joking if you think that I'd ever let anything happen to her, that any Moroi life will ever be worth more to me than Rose's or Anya's,'

His repeated the sentiments he had said to me previously, his eyes flashed heatedly at my mother. He looked like a Russian God on a warpath. Even I was scared of him. I was amazed that Dimitri had lost his self-control, especially in front of my mother. I was even more amazed that my mum didn't flinch. Anya was going to grow up to be one hell of a Guardian. The genetics were in her favor.

'There are some things in life that are much more important than my job. Rose and I have fought everything and everyone to be together; I've come so close to losing her many times…,' Dimitri continued dangerously.

'Are you threatening me?' she asked incredulously, cutting him off. For a small woman, she sure looked intimidating. He had a lot of guts standing up to my mum like that.

'With all due respect Guardian Hathaway, I will continue to fight anyone who tries to keep us apart,' Dimitri replied passionately.

I felt my eyes moisten. I loved him so much. I wanted to rush into his arms, to feel his touch against my skin, to show him that I loved him as much as he loved me, that I needed him more than my next breath. The air was heavy with the tension between Dimitri and my mum. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, each staring at each other, measuring each other up, waiting for the other to concede.

Finally, my mum cracked a small smile, 'you've got guts, Belikov, I'll give you that much,'

Dimitri blinked in confusion as realization dawned on him, 'Rose must be rubbing off on me,' he muttered, trying to suppress a smile on his handsome face.

My dad's booming laughter filled the room and I jumped. I had forgotten that he was there and had witnessed the tense exchange of words between my mum and Dimitri. 'Rose had already chosen a life fraught with danger and psycho Strigois when she signed up to be a Guardian,' he said, smiling at my mother as he put his arms around her.

'I think your mum is letting her emotions get ahead of her,' he continued as he turned to look at me. _Damn right, dad_, I thought to myself.

'But I welcome Dimitri's little passionate speech nonetheless,' he said, now looking at Dimitri. 'I guess there's no need for our little talk after all,'

Dimitri looked confused. 'I was never concerned about her safety; I knew she would be more than capable of looking after herself. Hell, if she is anything like her mother, I would seriously start worrying if I was a Strigoi,' he explained. This made Dimitri and I smile. I was an awesome Guardian, no doubt about that. 'But I wanted to know how much you love her,' my dad continued seriously, 'I only have one daughter and I wasn't going to give her up to anyone, not even the best Guardian if his heart wasn't in the right place,'

Dimitri opened his mouth to speak but my dad held a hand up to silence him. 'I know how much you love her. I can't ask for a better man,' my dad said proudly. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he added, 'there's no need to give me the same ear bashing that you gave Janine,'

I snorted with laughter as my mum looked thunderously at my dad. He winked cheekily at her as I quickly slipped into Dimitri's arms. My parents were bantering in the background – my mum accusing my dad of making it too easy for Dimitri; my dad telling her that it didn't matter how much she tried to intervene, her hot-headed daughter had already given her heart away a long time ago. I wasn't listening to them as I stared into Dimitri's eyes, hoping that somehow, he'd see how much I love him. His eyes were shining with adoration as he looked at me, and I longed to kiss him. As if reading my mind, he said hotly, 'Later, Roza,' giving me a tight squeeze around my waist.

...

I was discharged from hospital that day and Dimitri and I decided to bury Alex and Sasha's bodies. Christian offered to set them on fire or call the Alchemists but Dimitri decided that he wanted to bury them instead. We enlisted the help of the Alchemists to transport the bodies to where we intended to bury them. This earned us a long, strange look from them, but I think Dimitri was far from caring. I had explained the situation earlier to Lissa and Christian, so they didn't think it was odd for us to want to bury the bodies instead of disposing of them the usual way. Lissa looked at me sadly as I followed Dimitri out the door. I gave her a small smile and told her that we would be back for dinner.

Dimitri was deadly quiet as I walked beside him. I knew he was grieving for his best friend and in some way, I knew I was going to miss the letters that Alex used to send Dimitri. As chilling as they were, they revealed a certain camaraderie between the two men and over time, I had slowly grown to even expect a letter every few months. I squeezed Dimitri's hand, just to let him know that I was there for him. He looked at me and gave me a small smile. His eyes were laden with so much sorrow it nearly broke me.

I knew that nothing I said would console him at that moment so I opted to walk silently beside him instead. There was no way that we would ever get permission to bury Alex and Sasha's body in the Moroi/Dhampir graves, so Dimitri and I decided to dig their graves at the edge of the St. Basile's, where there was an empty plot of land. It was late afternoon and Dimitri and I both dug in silence, except for the sound of birds happily chirping in the distance, and the rhythmic thud of our shovels as they hit the ground. Soon, we had two holes next to each other, each six feet deep.

I heard Dimitri let out a sigh as he dragged Alex's body into the hole. Dimitri closed his eyes and muttered something in Russian. I imagined he must be saying his final goodbye. I stared at Alex's body. His eyes were closed and his lips were slightly parted. His blonde hair was dirty and a mixture of blood and mud stained his pale face. I could see how he used to break women's hearts. He was handsome and as he laid peacefully at the bottom of the hole that Dimitri and I had dug for him, he even looked like he was smiling.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri walk over to Sasha's still body and drag her into the other hole that we had dug. Again, he closed his eyes and muttered something in Russian. I felt his pain as he pushed her into her grave. Her nose was broken where I had kicked it; her blonde hair was matted to her forehead. Her lips were red, even in death and if possible, she looked more beautiful than she did when she was alive. I felt myself think back to their tragic life – how much they had fought to be together, how much they had wanted Dimitri to join them. I was never given the opportunity to get to know them but I was certain that I would easily love Alex's easy humour and Sasha's apparent compassion. I shuddered as I imagined Dimitri and I in their position; Alex and Sasha had chosen to turn Strigoi for love, Dimitri and I had chosen to fight whoever tried to come between us. _Love_, I thought wistfully, _what a powerful thing_.

I said a quick prayer for both Alex and Sasha as we filled their graves. Dimitri sat himself down between the two piles of fresh earth, seemingly exhausted from the physical and mental exertion. He bit into his knuckles. I sat down quietly beside him and hugged him tightly as I heard him let out a controlled sob. 'I know you're going to miss them,' I said softly. It only made him sob harder and I felt terrible for it. It took a lot for him to cry and I felt my heart instantly fill with sorrow – for Dimitri, for Alex, for Sasha.

'I know they were Strigoi…' Dimitri started, 'I know what they did to you and Anya…'

'You don't have to explain,' I assured, 'they used to be your closest friends, they had a family who loved them, _you _loved them,'

Dimitri looked at me, his eyes moist with tears. I tried to give him a small smile to let him know that I understood how hard it was for him, that he didn't have to justify his sorrow to me, that he could take as long as he wanted, I would always be here for him. He hugged me tightly, and kissed me softly on my forehead, 'Thank you for being here,'

'Always,'

...

Dimitri seemed to be in much higher spirits after dinner that night. We didn't have the usual raucous gang over for dinner; Lissa felt that it would be better if dinner was a small intimate affair instead. She said a small prayer for Alex and Sasha's soul before we started dinner, which pleasantly surprised Dimitri. He whispered a small thank you to her and she smiled supportively. Even Christian was surprisingly sensitive that night.

Lissa told us that we didn't have to worry about any inquisition from the Queen because she had compelled everyone who witnessed the fight. I shook my head disapprovingly, but was silently relieved that we didn't have to go through more drama. The kids were with my parents that night; Lissa decided that we all needed some time to ourselves. I couldn't agree more. I wished that our bond worked both ways so I could thank her for always thinking one step ahead and anticipating our wants and needs.

'I don't know what I would do if I lost you,' Dimitri said solemnly as we washed up after dinner. Lissa and Christian had decided to visit Ethan and Anya at the guest lodge, where my parents were staying. It was going to be a long time before we decide to leave the kids with babysitters again.

'Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but it's going to take a lot more than a few Strigois to get rid of me,' I grinned, trying to lighten the mood a little. It worked. He laughed and for the first time that day, his smile reached his eyes. He flicked soapy water at me and I squealed with delight as I flicked soapy water back at him. Some soap suds landed on his nose and it made me laugh out loud.

'Alright, you're asking for it,' he said, feigning seriousness, as he gathered more soap suds in his hands.

'Bring it on!' I challenged, moving to gather my portion of soap suds. He moved quickly to block my access to the sink. I yelled out indignantly, but was unable to reach around him. He laughed evilly and I protested heavily. Then, he turned around quickly and with his eyes twinkling mischievously, placed a dollop of bubbles on my nose. I was about to yell out my protest when he leaned down and captured my mouth with his.

'I love you,' he whispered into my kisses, his wet hands pressing into my back. I responded to his kisses hungrily. After what seemed like forever, he pulled away from me and leaned his forehead on mine, our noses barely touching, our eyes locked in an intense gaze. 'Thank you, Roza,' he said sincerely, 'thank you for everything,'

I looked at him and my heart swelled with all the love for him. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but him. He was the epitome of perfection. He struck the perfect balance between strength and tenderness. 'No, thank you,' I replied tenderly, bringing my hand to his cheek, 'for dragging my ass back to St. Vlad's, for showing me how to fight, for loving me, for asking me to marry you, for Anya,'

He smiled and I didn't think it was possible to love him anymore than I did at that moment. He lowered his mouth to mine and I lifted mine to meet his. It felt as good as it did when he first kissed me, years ago. Our kisses gradually grew more urgent and he muttered something about going to our room. I quickly agreed, not knowing when Lissa and Christian would be back. The dishes would just have to wait until tomorrow.

...

The door slammed noisily behind us as Dimitri and I stumbled clumsily into our room, our lips locked together. He lifted me up into his arms as he pressed my back against the wall.

'Dimitri?' I whispered in between his impassioned kisses.

'Mm?'

'You never came close to losing me,'

He pulled away from my lips, his strong arms held me and my legs were wrapped around his waist. His beautiful eyes were confused and clouded with desire.

'I was always yours, from the very start. We just took some time to figure it out,' I whispered into his mouth, biting his lip gently, 'I love you. I always have, I always will,'

'That's all I need,' he whispered fiercely into my mouth, kissing me hungrily, 'That's all I'll ever need,'

As he lowered me gently onto our bed, I gave him my sexiest smile, 'I think you'll need a lot more soon,'

A slow seductive smile formed on his lips before he buried his lips against my neck. I ran my fingers through his hair as I felt his stubble against my skin. 'God, I love you so much,' his voice shook passionately as he cupped my breasts, his thumbs tracing seductively around my nipples.

'_Take me_,'

He lifted my skirt and moved his hands up my thighs as I reached down and freed him from his jeans. A moment later, my heart raced as he entered me slowly. He groaned aloud as I drew a sharp breath, feeling him fill me completely.

A moan of pleasure escaped my lips as he started to rock me slowly, darkly tender, restrainedly urgent as I savored our union. I lifted my hips towards him as he lovingly ravished me, overcoming my senses, driving me to the dizzying heights of my deepest desires. I yielded myself willingly to him as I wrapped my legs tighter around him, wanting, needing to have him deeper inside me than he already was. He leaned down and thrusted himself deeper into my heat, possessing me with his wild, fervent kisses.

I raked my fingers through his tousled hair as I half gasped for air, half drank him in hungrily. We were panting heavily as he ran his fingers all over me, hungrily, claiming every inch of me for his own. I eagerly gave myself to his insatiable hunger. 'I love you,' I breathed against his rough cheek, delighting in the sensations it ignited in me.

Dimitri rested his elbows on either side of my head as he lifted his eyes to mine. He looked at me wistfully, 'You're so much more than I could ever have dreamed of, ever asked for. Don't ever leave me,' he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His voice was thick with emotion, tinged with the deep Russian accent that only became evident when he was struggling for control, 'I can't lose you, I need you too much,'

'I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me forever,'

He moaned softly against my mouth as he held me close. He whispered his devotion in my ear and I promised him all my heart as we lost ourselves to a wild passion, an intense love.

**Dimitri's Point of View**

I stroked Rose's hair as she sighed into my chest, exhausted from all our lovemaking. I held her close to me and rested my head on top of hers gently, careful not to wake her. After having resigned myself to a life of solitary wanderings, of lonely nights, of being a stranger in distant lands, at long last, I was no longer alone. I have her now. I have her and Anya. _Forever and for always_. It was as though she was the missing piece in my heart, as though she gave new purpose to my life, my strength, my every breath. _Roza_, I thought to myself, my heart bursting with love. There was nowhere I'd rather be than right here in the arms of the woman I loved, trusted, needed.

She was the haven to my troubled soul, the purpose to my very being. We faced a stormy future together, but she was brave. And strong. So very strong. Stronger than I am sometimes. And I knew that we'd face the troubles together and we'd be alright. We always will.

Finally, I knew the meaning of peace. There might be further battles in the future, and the wars that we were both bound by duty to fight would no doubt go on. There would be more Strigois, more dangers ahead of us. But at least, for me, I know that I would always find peace in her arms. The arms of my angel. My Guardian Angel.


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**Rose's Point of View**

It was a warm summer's night and Dimitri and I had decided to take Anya to the park. Despite our hectic schedules, we made sure we always had time for each other and most importantly, for Anya. She was fast becoming a miniature replica of me, much to Dimitri's delight. She had just turned 4 and was the biggest tomboy I've ever seen. Soon, she would start kindergarten at St. Basile's Academy. She was excited about this, especially as she had Ethan to keep her company. The two of them were inseparable, often wrestling each other and building sandcastles together. Too often, Lissa would be called to the nursery to pick Anya and Ethan up as they had given someone else a bloody nose. Usually, it's because someone had teased Anya for being a boy or Ethan for catching cooties off Anya. In jest, Lissa blames the mischief they get up to on Anya's predisposed streak of violence; Christian jokingly calls her a bad influence. But I knew that secretly, we were all proud of them for sticking up for each other. I was especially proud of the bloody noses that Anya was already dishing out.

'She's going to break some bones when she grows up,' I smiled proudly at her as I watched her gleefully push herself down the slides, knowing that she'll dominate it until she decided that she's had enough, 'God help whoever crosses her,' I sat myself down on the grass beside Dimitri.

'I think she'll break more hearts than bones,' Dimitri said as he leaned back on his hands, a content smile forming on his face, 'She looks exactly like you,'

'But with your eyes,'

'But with my eyes,' he agreed, his brown eyes crinkling at the sides with laughter. I smiled happily at him as he pulled me in for a kiss.

'She'll never get a date though,' he said solemnly, pulling away from my kisses. I looked at him questioningly, wanting his lips back on mine. 'The poor boy will have to get past me first,' he explained protectively.

I furrowed my brows in mock contemplation, 'Yeah. Terrifying thought,'

'Poor Anya,' he joked, leaning in once more to kiss me. I moaned softly into his kisses as his hands sneaked underneath my top to caress my breasts. 'More like, poor boy,' I whispered, not really caring about much else but the feel of his hands on my hot skin.

He chuckled as rolled me on my back. The grass was slightly wet from last night's rain. He covered my body with his as he kissed me hungrily. It was a Sunday night and there weren't many people in the park, which was good because Dimitri was seriously testing my self-control.

'Papa!'

We looked up to see Anya standing above my head, her little brows knitted in a knot. She looked exactly like Dimitri when he was contemplating something seriously. It made me laugh out loud. She crossed her hands in front of her. 'What are you doing?' she inquired, her large brown eyes were directed at her father.

Dimitri cocked an eyebrow at her and laughed as he rolled off me. I sat myself up as Dimitri picked Anya up and carried her in his arms. He looked at her adoringly, and I saw how much he loved her. She looked exactly like me, but she had the same mannerisms as he did. She mimicked his frown when I placed something she didn't like on her plate – like carrots, and she had Dimitri's slow, guilty smile when she had too many sweets before dinner and was trying to hide it from me. Once, I saw her raise an eyebrow at Dimitri and me when she waddled into our room, catching us in the middle of something private. Dimitri found it terribly amusing. I had never seen him prouder of our little girl.

'Were you hurting Mama?' she demanded sulkily. Dimitri threw his head back as he let out a deep laugh. He gave her a tight cuddle as he said, 'Mama's not hurt; she loves it,'

Anya's eyes brightened as she tried to wriggle her way out of Dimitri's arms. He put her on the ground and she rushed towards me, nearly toppling me over. Gently, much to the amusement of both Dimitri and I, she pushed me towards the ground. I complied with her request, easing myself flat on the ground, feeling the dampness in the grass again. Dimitri sat down beside us, his eyes full of silent laughter as Anya placed herself on top of me, imitating the way Dimitri was.

'Do you like this Mama?' Anya asked. I couldn't have loved her more as I laughed my response, 'I love it honey, I love you,'

I felt her smile against my neck as she sighed happily. As I gave her a kiss on her forehead, I caught Dimitri's gaze. He was staring lovingly at the both of us as he reached out to stroke her dark hair. He laid himself down beside me and extended an arm towards me. I lifted my head slowly as I wriggled into his embrace, careful not to disturb Anya who was by now, snoring softly on top of me. It wasn't unusual for her to fall asleep unexpectedly, especially when she spent most of the day running around with Ethan. Dimitri planted a kiss on my forehead as I looked up towards the sky.

It was a beautiful night and the stars shone brightly in the sky. Dimitri and I tried to make out the different constellations as we enjoyed a rare quiet time together. 'Aren't they beautiful?' I gushed.

'Not as beautiful as you, Roza,' Dimitri said gruffly, as he nuzzled against my cheek. I blushed in the darkness. After all these years, I still couldn't get used to his compliments. They still transported me to a time when I was 17 and crushing heavily on my mentor.

'Oh look, a shooting star!' I exclaimed, 'Let's make a wish!' I closed my eyes and wracked my brains for something to wish for. Frustrated that I couldn't think of anything, I decided to take a peek at Dimitri. I opened my eyes to see him staring intently at me.

'Did you make a wish?'

He shook his head. 'You sure know how to waste an opportunity, Comrade,' I teased, my old nickname for him accidentally slipping through. I hadn't used it in years.

He looked pleasantly surprised at the slip of my tongue as he brought his lips slowly to mine. 'I already have everything I could possibly wish for,' he whispered lovingly before kissing me deeply. My heart soared with joy as I stared into his eyes. They burned with all the love in the world.

He lifted Anya's sleeping form off me before helping me to my feet. And with Anya in his arms, we walked hand in hand back to the house we shared with Lissa and Christian, knowing that Lissa would be waiting for us to start dinner.

'I didn't wish for anything either,' I said, smiling at him as we neared the house.

His eyes twinkled knowingly as he asked, 'Why?'

'I already have everything I could possibly wish for,' I repeated. And his laughter filled my heart with love, joy and devotion.

- The End -

**And there it is, the very end of it all. I hope you've enjoyed reading (and I'm sorry for flooding your inboxes with all my chapter updates!) - I know I've rushed through some parts; and I know that I've really focused only on Dimitri and Rose. I could explore other relationships - Adrian would be an interesting one to write about, but from the start, I've decided that this would really be about Dimitri and Rose's romance. It's been fun to write, and even more fun to read all your thoughts. Maybe, one day, I might start writing Adrian's story. He does deserve a happy ending. :) But until then, thanks for reading! I would love to hear any final thoughts, so please, please review and let me know. **

**Take care!**


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